Sarasota County

Sarasota County is located on the West Coast of Florida, about 60 miles south of Tampa. The county’s approximately 600 square miles, extends west from rustic ranch land, to the shores of the Gulf of Mexico and Sarasota Bay. With more than 35 miles of gulf beaches, residents are within a 15-minute drive of the most spectacular white sand beaches in the world.

The average year-round temperature is a pleasant 72 degrees; averaging 61.5 degrees in January and 80 degrees in August. The average annual rainfall is 60 inches.

Sarasota offers a diversity of neighborhoods to suit every taste and budget, each with a unique personality. Residents enjoy all the hospitality of a small town combined with the amenities and modern infrastructure of a large city.

Sarasota County's communities include: Sarasota, Osprey, Nokomis Beach, Englewood, North Port, Venice, St Armands Key; and the barrier islands of Bird Key, Casey Key, Lido Key, Longboat Key and Siesta Key.

Each area of Sarasota County has its own personality, and our visitors are delighted to find more vacation variety here than they ever expected.

The City of Sarasota, with its active downtown and arts and theater district, still has a friendly, small town feel. Luxurious Longboat Key's manicured beach resorts and condos also offer world-class tennis, golf, and dining.

Laid-back Siesta Key has the feel of a tropical island; with sugar white sand officially designated "the whitest, finest beach sand in the world." The sand is actually pure white quartz, pulverized to a fine white powder. St. Armand's Circle is home to gourmet restaurants and chic shops featuring the best items from around the world.

Beaches, boating, golf, dining, shopping, art shows, theater -- there's always something exciting going on in Sarasota County. Sophisticated or casual, upscale or economical, it's all just minutes away.

Living and Working In Paradise

Once known primarily as a vacation or retirement destination, today's Sarasota is home to diversity. A great year-round climate, expanding employment opportunities, abundant leisure time activities, and excellent schools attract creative entrepreneurs, skilled workers, and professionals who want to thrive in a community where life is fun. Almost half of Sarasota County's population is in the prime working age range of 25 to 64. No matter what your age or stage, there's always something interesting to do in Sarasota.

Arts and Cultural

Ringling School of Art & Design Sarasota Arts Council
Circus Sarasota Sailor Circus
Museum of Asian Art Florida West Coast Symphony
Sarasota Ballet of Florida Sarasota Opera
Asolo Center for Performing Arts Florida Studio Theatre
Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall Golden Apple Dinner Theatre

Attractions

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium
Myakka Wildlife Tours / Myakka River State Park Pelican Man's Bird Sanctuary
Sarasota Jungle Gardens Sarasota Kennel Club, Inc.

Education

Sarasota County has one of the best school systems in Florida. Educational opportunity abounds here, including some of the nation's most unique and effective public and private school programs.

The county's 33 public schools include 20 elementary schools, six middle schools, 4 high schools, as well as other mixed-grade facilities and various adult and exceptional programs.

The school district placed among Florida's top five on every section of the state's comprehensive assessment test. County high school students have scored consistently higher than the national average on the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test).

The county is a pioneer in incorporating leading-edge technology and distance learning into the classroom. All schools have Internet access and closed circuit TV through the County's Instructional Television System. There are over 10,000 instructional computers with an average ratio of 3 students per workstation. A full range of exceptional education programs is offered for both handicapped and gifted students.

Health Care

Good life means good health care. With 69 hospitals in the Tampa Bay region, including 50 general surgical hospitals, it's not surprising that Sarasota County is recognized throughout the nation as a leader in health care trends and groundbreaking developments in medical technology. An extensive network of health maintenance organizations provides high quality health care at per patient costs that are below the national average.

Sarasota County and the Tampa Bay region offer health care-related businesses a living laboratory of medical research and development. State-of-the-art facilities and highly trained personnel, as well as trainable entry-level employees, make the area among the nations' best places to locate a company providing medical products or services.

Government

Sarasota County attracts creative, dynamic companies of every variety; high-tech, information driven companies, research-based businesses on the leading edge of medical advances and manufacturers who produce a wide range of products. In the past few years, major business magazines and nationwide surveys have awarded Sarasota County a number of superlatives. These rankings quantify what business leaders have been saying about the area for decades—Sarasota County is among the best places to live and work in America.

Cost of Living

When searching for a home, newcomers to Sarasota County can select from a variety of housing styles, neighborhoods and prices. From Spanish-style bungalows in historic neighborhoods to secluded waterfront estates and new golf course condominium communities, buyers can find just about any architectural style or amenity they desire.

Sarasota County residences include more than 15,000 homes located on the Gulf of Mexico or on the bayfront. Many communities feature lakeside living. Four barrier islands - Casey Key, Lido Key, Longboat Key and Siesta Key - feature some of the county's most unique residential areas. In almost every category, from groceries to healthcare, the daily cost of living in Sarasota County is lower than in most metro areas.