Sarasota, FL
Real Estate: Living In Sarasota
Downtown skyline on the bay at sunrise in Sarasota, Florida. File photo: Sean Pavone, Shutter Stock, licensed.
Sarasota is a city in Sarasota County on the Gulf Coast of Florida state and is known for numerous aspects of its culture and environment that have proven popular with tourists and transplants from other states, such as its beaches and resorts.
According to the 2020 U.S. Census, Sarasota has a population of 54,842 and 25,209 households, with the city itself encompassing a total area of 24.08 square miles, which is comprised of 14.70 square miles of land and 9.39 square miles of water.
Sarasota has a tropical climate with warm winters typically devoid of snow and very hot summers where the heat index can often be pushed over 100 °F due to high humidity levels.
The median rent in Sarasota is currently $1,177, the median price of a single-family home is $491,913, and the median household income is $56,093, with 15.6 percent of the city’s population living below the line for poverty.
Sarasota has a municipal government that was originally incorporated in 1913, with the city also serving as the seat of Sarasota County itself.
The city has a “no lodging out-of-doors” ordinance that was adopted in August 2005, which prohibits sleeping on public property without prior permission.
Sarasota has a plethora of venues catering to the performing arts, including music, dance, and theatre; especially notable is the Sarasota Orchestra, which holds the annual internationally renowned Sarasota Music Festival. Other venues include the Sarasota Ballet, the Sarasota Opera, the Florida Studio Theatre, the Historic Asolo Theater, the Sarasota Art Museum and the Ringling Museum.
The city has hosted the Sarasota Film Festival – Florida’s largest film festival – every year since 1998 – highlighting independent filmmaking from around the world
The city also has an aquarium, zoos, and botanical gardens, including the Mote Marine Laboratory, the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, the Sarasota Jungle Gardens and the Big Cat Habitat & Gulf Coast Sanctuary.
Sarasota is also the home of the Sarasota School of Architecture, as well as many historic buildings and sites such as the Terrace Hotel – which now serves as a government building – the El Vernona hotel, the Municipal Auditorium, and the Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College.
Public education is run by the Sarasota County Public Schools school district and noted institutions of Higher Education include New College of Florida, Keiser University of Sarasota, FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training, Ringling College of Art and Design, State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota, and a branch of the University of South Florida.
Sarasota also features numerous sports venues, such as stadiums, golf courses, fishing, swimming, sailing, and more.
The major airport serving the city is Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, and Sarasota also has an extensive public transportation system consisting of bus, rail, and water service.
