2021 Places with the Best Public Schools in Florida

South Sarasota

Current Resident: Great beaches, Great restaurants and you can't beat the weather. Home prices are a little high though.Read 6 Reviews

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• 5,283 Population

Vamo

Niche User: Honestly, a fantastic area. Removed from downtown so you don't have to get caught up in everything that entails. Quick commute to the beach. Lots of stores close by. Most of the neighbors are families so you don't have to worry about anything crazy. Weather in unbelievable. Great place...Read 14 Reviews

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• 4,564 Population

Gulf Gate Estates

Current Resident: We bought our home in May 2017. Gulf Gate Village is a corridor of successful boutique shops and restaurants that contribute to the rising value of the neighborhood homes. It's close to Siesta Key, and the homes are concrete block ranch style homes that were the retirement homes for the civic generation in the mid-1970s. Landmarks include, St. Thomas More Catholic Church, The Chelsea Center, and Gulf Gate Village Library...Read 26 Reviews

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• 11,118 Population

Ridge Wood Heights

Current Resident: Overall it is a great community basically 8 to 10 minutes away from Siesta Keybeach. 10 minutes away to get to main street where a lot of great restaurants. Plenty of shopping centers and big stores Costco Macy’s Home Depot and Lowe’s are you name it it’s all within 10 minutesRead 5 Reviews

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• 4,287 Population

South Gate Ridge

Niche User: The Sarasota area is great for Florida.There is an avid appreciation for art and a real emphasis on making things look and feel nice. Like all cities in Florida, there is an alarming number of senior citizens, but generally the atmosphere is friendly and accepting. If I am to pick a city in Florida, Sarasota would definitely be in my top 3!...Read 21 Reviews

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• 6,232 Population

Laurel

Niche User: I love the area and the people and it has perfect weather as well as many school options!Read 7 Reviews

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• 9,518 Population

Bee Ridge

Niche User: This area is probably one of the best in the country. We just built a new mall and we have siesta key the number one beach in the country. The weather is perfect and the restaurants are great.Read 9 Reviews

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• 9,958 Population

Nokomis

Current Resident: Moved here about 2 months ago now. There are numerous things to do indoors and outdoors. I love how many things are pet-friendly so I can bring my fur babies on my fun weekend activities. There are things for everyone!...Read 12 Reviews

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• 3,355 Population

Englewood

Current Resident: I have lived here my whole life and I love this town! The beaches are beautiful and I know almost everyone here. The schools are good and there are a few little parks. It’s a very safe place to live and I have never felt unsafe here, even getting out of work at 10pm and walking to my car doesn’t worry me. The downside is that during season the town is overrun with snowbirds and the traffic is horrendous. There is not much to do unless you are 65+ (which most the population is). The town is growing though and being taken over by retirees, it’s kind of sad to see my hometown change so much...Read 32 Reviews

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• 15,095 Population

Osprey

Current Resident: The Publix in Osprey is a smaller store than the one I usually use on Central Sarasota Parkway. Even though it is smaller, I have yet to find a situation where I felt I needed to go to the larger store. One of the great things about the Osprey store is the parking. Lots of room and very user friendly. Speaking of friendly, the staff is extremely friendly in that it seems all are saying hi and want to know what they can for you. I have had the opportunity to deal with the meat department for some special orders. You cannot imagine how they were willing to do to make sure I was satisfied and even with suggestions for preparation. I really like the smaller store. It is like the friendly community store I remember as a kid...Read 11 Reviews

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• 6,931 Population

South Venice

Current Resident: Legend has it, this area was used as ancient Indian burial grounds because of its unique ability to reject hurricane interference. Despite being right on the Gulf of Mexico the small city has been blessed with peaceful weather since Ive been alive to witness it. Gators and people alike bathe in the endless sun, enjoying superior Vitamin D levels and delicious orange juice...Read 39 Reviews

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• 13,907 Population

Venice

• Town in Florida
• Rating 4.06 out of 5  53 reviews

Current Resident: Venice is a very lovely vacation destination for any family that wants to enjoy the beach or bright and sunny weather for a change. almost year round the sun is out and the temperature is at a perfect level for people of any age. We have numerous amusement parks and water attractions, such as the nationwide known Walt Disney World park system in Orlando. From my observation, it looks like a great retirement spot as well from the sheer percentage of the population is over their mid-50s...Read 53 Reviews

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• 23,086 Population

Siesta Key

Niche User: Growing up in Sarasota, FL is a wonderful experience. Siesta Key Beach and many parks provide areas for visiting or residential families. There are many options for restaurants and shopping. The economy is booming due to it's high ratings by tourists. There are urban and suburban neighborhoods, and even rural areas out East. Go far enough and you can visit a near-by fully operational Dairy! The downtown area attracts much of the young adult generation...Read 7 Reviews

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• 5,573 Population

Lake Sarasota

Current Resident: I loved living there ! It’s super convenient to hop on the interstate and go anywhere you want super quick ! Also the beach is really close it’s just a short drive down Clark road and there you are. The restaurants around here are great you gotta try cafe Barbosso it’s super good Italian food. The cost of living here is super cheap as well. You would also have no problems finding a job...Read 5 Reviews

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• 4,749 Population

Sarasota

• Town in Florida
• Rating 4.2 out of 5  143 reviews

Nearby Resident: The thing I love about Sarasota the most is all the culture the city has. Sarasota is a very beautiful, artsy, safe, and thriving city. Their are so many new things that are being built in Sarasota which include the the bay front redevelopment project, the quay development which will bring many more exciting restaurants and shops to the area, the Selby botanical gardens redevelopment, the siesta key promenade, and the east district at the Utc mall which will bring even more entertainment options to the area. The best thing about Sarasota is all of the local beaches such as the #1 best beach in America siesta key. Lido key and longboat key are other world class beaches in the area. Another thing I love about Sarasota is that it is relatively close to major cities such as Tampa (1 hour away) and Orlando ( 2 hours and 20 minutes away). Even Disney is close, only about 1 hour and 45 minutes away. All in all, I believe Sarasota is the best city in Florida to live in...Read 143 Reviews

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• 56,919 Population

Plantation

Current Resident: I used to live here when I was 8 years old. I had moved to Ft. Lauderdale when I was 12 because my mom had received a better job. It was sad to leave all my friends and teachers, but I had gotten used to it after some time. However, now I am 16 and I have recently moved back and I love it. Plantation is one of the best cities to live in Florida. It has everything and more near it. We have the famous and very busy Sawgrass Mills Mall. I love going there because there is literally every store you can imagine there, not to mention the movie theater, arcades, and a bunch of delicious tasty restaurants there that will definitely satisfy your taste buds. Another good thing about Plantation, Florida is that everything is near each other. I can literally ride my bike to the mall and home and it is the most convenient thing ever. I love it here!...Read 62 Reviews

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• 5,026 Population

Venice Gardens

Current Resident: I have lived in Venice Gardens for fifteen years. The area is beautiful and relatively quiet for the most part. I live across the street from the Venice Civic Center. Many people host special events there. My favorite part is taking advantage of the field across the street. Everyday I utilize it because my boyfriend and I walk our two Siberian Huskies. Having an open field allows us to play catch with the dogs. This is also a wonderful neighborhood to raise a family. My only complaint is that the cost of living. It is highly populated with older folks...Read 2 Reviews

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• 8,171 Population

Fruitville

Current Resident: Fruitville is a nice, up-and-coming area in Sarasota. I've lived in a few places around town and Fruitville is definitely home to the young professional type of crowd I've been looking for. That's probably due to the recent rise of many apartment complexes in the area...There's good shopping and food (though it's mostly chains) and it's just a short drive from UTC where the shopping and dining is world-class.The commute to downtown is a lovely straight-shot, about 15 minutes at most. And the proximity to 75 makes getting anywhere a pretty quick, painless experience.I would recommend Fruitville to anyone. It's relatively cheap (by Sarasota standards) and mostly middle to upper-middle-class families and professionals. A nice place to live in Sarasota.Read 24 Reviews

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• 14,068 Population

Southgate

Niche User: I've lived here my whole life, it's great!Read 4 Reviews

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• 7,817 Population

Kensington Park

Current Resident: This neighborhood is nice overall. The neighborhood is very diverse and has a wide variety of cultures and lifestyles. The general look of most of the neighborhood is appealing. One slight hindrance to quick travel is the presence of a school zone in the neighborhood, but otherwise it is easy to commute here...Read 6 Reviews

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• 4,407 Population

The Meadows

Current Resident: There is a lot of outdoors space, so room to run, cycle, and walk. Very pet-friendly. You are also about 5 minutes away from Benderson park by bike and easy access to every sort of store you might need at University Town Center and the surrounding shopping. Depending where you are attending school, nothing is more than 30 minutes away by car. Commute should be easy...Read 5 Reviews

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• 4,430 Population

Sarasota Springs

Niche User: The weather is always warm, with a chance of showers. The winters are very mild and the beach is always here. I love living in Sarasota and I couldn't imagine it any other way. I know that leaving for school, leaving Sarasota and my family is going to incredibly tough. I love living minutes from one of the World's most beautiful beaches, Siesta Key. Our UTC shopping city is just breath taking. Every store known to man will be within its regions, and the restaurants, wow I can't even begin. The other beautiful cities within Sarasota county are building and catching up to our larger towns. If I had to be reborn somewhere, it would be right here in Sarasota. We have Nationally recognized hospitals and schools. The wealth in this city is outrageous. Opportunities are everywhere in this town...Read 7 Reviews

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• 15,854 Population

Desoto Lakes

Niche User: The food, people, and things to do are great.Read 6 Reviews

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• 4,061 Population

North Sarasota

Current Resident: Been in Sarasota, Florida since 1981. Seen some of the worst and best times. I work for Second Chance Last Opportunity a nonprofit that helps the struggling people with food,clothing,counseling, and job referrals. I love helping all races . I write start ups,business models for new products and services. I wrote over 1000 conceptional business models since 1999. I know when I graduate in 2020 I will cause and effect change for the better...Read 14 Reviews

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• 8,806 Population

Cocoa Beach

Current Resident: Cocoa Beach is a small town where everyone knows each other if you're a local. Tourists are constantly everywhere, often making the streets filled with traffic, the restaurants busy and the beaches crowded. There are many town driven gatherings such as Friday Fest in which there are a low amount of tourists there. The beaches can be blue and clear but a lot of the time they are dark and murky. The beach and the river are the main activities so if you don't live on one of them then it can be boring. It is a special environment with many options to stay active. The food is unique and special to this area because of the majority of locally developed restaurants and lack of chain restaurants...Read 39 Reviews

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• 11,619 Population