//What's Is It Like Living in Sarasota: U.S. News World Report
What's Is It Like Living in Sarasota: U.S. News World Report, Our Town Sarasota News Events

What's Is It Like Living in Sarasota: U.S. News World Report

What is it like living in Sarasota?

What’s is it like to live in Sarasota, FL?


What's Is It Like Living in Sarasota: U.S. News World Report, Our Town Sarasota News Events

Profile written by local expert:

Vanessa Caceres

Warm temperatures year-round, award-winning beaches and a thriving arts and cultural scene have made Sarasota a go-to place for retirees and families, not to mention a handful of celebrities (including Stephen King and Rosie O’Donnell). This southwest Florida region, which is about an hour from Tampa and two hours from Orlando, continues to attract new residents with great restaurants and plenty of shopping options.

Living in Sarasota has elements of what many consider paradise, mixed with some hints of reality. As the population grows, the area struggles to keep up with infrastructure needs. Traffic congestion is becoming more common. Those who live, work or visit downtown Sarasota will see their share of construction cranes as the region copes with an influx of residents and a record-breaking number of tourists.

However, as the Sarasota community flourishes, so does its economy. Sarasota offers a sizeable job market for those working in health care, small business and tourism.

Rankings

U.S. News analyzed 125 metro areas in the United States to find the best places to live based on quality of life and the job market in each metro area, as well as the value of living there and people’s desire to live there.

Sarasota, Florida is ranked:

What's Is It Like Living in Sarasota: U.S. News World Report, Our Town Sarasota News Events #34 in Best Places to Live

What's Is It Like Living in Sarasota: U.S. News World Report, Our Town Sarasota News Events #1 in Best Places to Retire

6.7

Overall

What's Is It Like Living in Sarasota: U.S. News World Report, Our Town Sarasota News Events

SCORECARD

  • Desirability
    6.4
  • Value
    5.3
  • Job Market
    6.2
  • Quality of Life
    7.3
  • Net Migration
    10.0

Read how we rank places

Sarasota, FL Quick Stats

  • 751,422

    METRO POPULATION

  • $41,870

    AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY

  • 81.7° / 64.1°

    AVG HIGH/LOW TEMPS

  • 51.1

    MEDIAN AGE

  • $224,613

    MEDIAN HOME PRICE

  • 53.0 inches

    AVG ANNUAL RAINFALL

  • 3.8%

    UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

  • $1,032

    MEDIAN MONTHLY RENT

  • 24.1 minutes

    AVG COMMUTE TIME

What’s the cost of living in Sarasota, FL?

Sarasota is relatively affordable compared to larger Florida regions like Miami, though young families are finding it increasingly harder to buy a home at a reasonable cost. The continuing influx of wealthy residents has affected the cost of housing, as there has been more of a focus on upscale living.

Value Index

WORSEBETTER

Index Score: 5.3 /10

How we calculate this.


 Sarasota offers a lower value than similarly sized metro areas when you compare housing costs to median household income.

Housing Costs this Year


Sarasota
$224,613

USA
$222,408

Housing Costs Over Time

Mar 2015Apr 2015May 2015Jun 2015Jul 2015Aug 2015Sep 2015Oct 2015Nov 2015Dec 2015Jan 2016Feb 2016Mar 2016Apr 2016May 2016Jun 2016205,000210,000215,000220,000225,000230,000235,000240,000SarasotaNational Median
Data sourced from Zillow median home sale price data series. Additional data provided by the Austin Board of Realtors, Houston Association of Realtors, Intermountain MLS, Omaha Area Board of Realtors, San Antonio Board of Realtors, and the Salt Lake Board of Realtors