A city of 56,970, settled in 1763. Home to 70 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
The 3 things Sarasota does most differently from other towns.
1850 · 1940 Census Enumeration District Descri…6 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 70 places on the National Register.
1900
John Miller 1937 drawing of Amish village ghost bridge in Pinecraft
Photo · Wikimedia Commons. A different picture from Sarasota’s archive appears here every day.
See all 6 archive items →What neighbors are saying. Town Square →
Nothing on the calendar.
Ordered by what stands out in Sarasota. Another town gets a different order.
About one in 4 of Sarasota’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Bradenton (3%), Fruitville (3%) and Tampa (3%). Half commute less than 7 miles.
The public schools Sarasota’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 86% of Florida’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuttle Elementary School | PK–5 | 698 | C |
| Southside Elementary School | K–5 | 696 | A+ |
| Bay Haven School of Basics Plus | K–5 | 547 | A |
| Alta Vista Elementary School | PK–5 | 453 | B |
| Suncoast School for Innovative Studies | K–5 | 96 | D |
| St. Martha Catholic Schcol Private | PK–8 | 477 |
Sarasota beats the Florida average on 2 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 3.
| What stands out | Sarasota | FL |
|---|---|---|
| More adults seeing a dentist | 61.2% | 57.4% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.3% | 78.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.5% | 9.1% |
The typical Sarasota home is worth about $410,000, down 2.7% in a year, 9% above the Florida typical home.
14 miles of trails across 23 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Payne Park | 1.7 mi | 38 |
| 2. South Lido County Park | 1.5 mi | 98 |
| 3. Ken Thompson Park | 0.9 mi | 25 |
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 85% of U.S. communities.
Sarasota has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 52°, and snow is almost unheard of.
Sarasota's reported crime rate is above Florida's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. 221 violent crimes were reported in 2025.
3 colleges in town.
70 places in Sarasota on the National Register of Historic Places.
61 notable people were born in Sarasota.
City in Florida, United States
Sarasota () is a city in and the county seat of Sarasota County, Florida, United States. It is located in Southwest Florida on Sarasota Bay, a lagoon on the Gulf Coast. The population was 54,842 at the 2020 census. The two-county Sarasota metropolitan area has an estimated 935,000 residents, making it the fifth-largest metropolitan area in Florida and 61st-largest in the United States. The Sarasota area was explored by the Spanish in the 16th century, and was settled by American William Henry Whitaker in the mid-19th century. Sarasota's development accelerated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly with the influence of Bertha Honore Palmer and the Ringling family as the ho…
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5 towns share a border with Sarasota.
