Sarasota today
What this means
The past year cost Sarasota owners about 1.4% in value, now 13.2% below the Aug 2022 peak.
Permits January to September 2026: 392 homes, 118% more than 2025.
A specific house can rent above or below these figures, so pull rental comps for the address. Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Sarasota | vs Sarasota County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 58,458 (2025 estimate) | ||
| Growth since 2020 | 6.6% | -4.0 pts | -2.3 pts |
| Median home value | $463,000 | 12% higher | 29% higher |
| Median gross rent | $1,684 | 7% lower | 1% higher |
| Median household income | $72,105 | 14% lower | 3% lower |
| Owner occupied homes | 57.5% | -19.2 pts | -10.1 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 29.2% | -8.3 pts | +7.9 pts |
| Average commute (minutes) | 21 | 16% lower | 26% lower |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 12.8% | -2.4 pts | -1.4 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $3,230 | 4% higher | 18% higher |
Census survey figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; methods.
Living in Sarasota
Sarasota County seat on Sarasota Bay, with Lido Key and part of Siesta Key, shaped by the Ringling family and known as Circus City.
Sarasota is an incorporated city in Sarasota County, with its own zoning and rental rules.
Known for: Ringling Museum of Art; Mote Marine Laboratory; Sarasota Opera
Sarasota Bradenton International Airport has served the area since 1941.
Next to the rest of Sarasota County, fewer homes are owner occupied (57.5% vs 76.7%); more of the housing is in apartment and condo buildings (40.7% vs 20%); the population is younger (29.2% age 65 or older vs 37.5%) and commutes are shorter (21 vs 24 minutes).
Closest matches on price and rent: St. Augustine ($439,800, $1,653), Princeton ($426,900, $1,647), Tampa ($420,400, $1,701).
Growth and housing
Sarasota changed 6.6% in population from 2020 to 2025 (county 10.6%, Florida 8.9%).
| 2025 building permits | Sarasota |
|---|---|
| Single family | 168 |
| 5 or more units | 48 |
| Total units | 216 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 3.7 |
Median year built: 1976. Apartments and condos make up a large share: 40.7% of homes are in buildings of five or more units. Households average 2.05 people.
4% of residents moved in from another state in the past year (county 4.7%).
Risks to price in
| Risk item | Detail |
|---|---|
| County average homeowners insurance with wind | $3,457 a year |
| Hurricanes tied to Sarasota County since 2000 | Milton (2024) |
| Coastal county | check flood zone and elevation per address |
With 58.4% of the stock built before 1980, budget for roof, electrical and plumbing updates. Inspections
28.8% of homes are in buildings of 20 or more units; condo reserves and inspections decide financing. Condo financing
Flood, storms and jobs
Sarasota has its own flood program rating: CRS class 5, which takes 25% off federal flood premiums in high risk zones. Since 2000, flood insurance has paid $149,860,013 on 1,444 claims inside Sarasota. The Sarasota County guide covers storms, flood claims and employers; 19.9% of county homes are in high risk flood zones.
Buying a home in Sarasota
| 2026 loan limits (county) | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA, one unit | $547,400 |
| Conforming, one unit | $832,750 |
| Median home value here | $463,000 |
Homes cost 6.4 times median household income here (Sarasota County 4.9, Florida 4.8).
- Conventional: the most common loan in Sarasota County.
- FHA: the Sarasota median of $463,000 fits under the $547,400 limit.
Investing in Sarasota
Long term rentals
| Sarasota | vs Sarasota County | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 42.5% | +19.2 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 2.7% | -3.4 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 34.8% | -0.2 pts |
Short term rentals
Vacation home share is below the county (14.5% vs 15.1%), so nightly demand here is thinner.
| Short term rental taxes | Rate |
|---|---|
| County tourist development tax | 6% |
| State sales tax | 6% plus any county surtax |
Nightly rentals depend on local zoning and the HOA; check both. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 39% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 40.7% |
| Manufactured homes | 3.9% |
Nearby
Other Florida markets
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5 year estimates. 2020 to 2024.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates, Vintage 2025. July 1, 2025.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025 annual. 2025.
- FFIEC HMDA Data Browser, originated loans. 2025 and 2024.
- LendingTree: 2026 FHA loan limits in Florida by county (HUD figures). 2026.
- Florida Realtors: FHFA sets 2026 conforming loan limits. 2026.
- Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research: 2026 local option tourist tax rates. 2026.
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, July 2026 Insurance Stability Unit report (average homeowners premium with wind, as of March 31, 2026). March 31, 2026.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey. week of October 22, 2026.
- Wikipedia: List of counties in Florida. checked October 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file. 2024.
- Wikipedia county article and statewide lists (colleges, teams, airports); Florida Defense Support Task Force installation map. checked October 2026.
- Wikipedia article for this place (history, setting, roads). checked October 2026.
- Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), all homes, middle tier, smoothed and seasonally adjusted. September 2026.
- Federal Housing Finance Agency House Price Index (county annual, metro and state quarterly, all transactions). through Q2 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, January to September 2026 and 2025. September 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Residential Penetration Rates. as of August 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims (2000 to 2026). as of September 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book (Community Rating System class). August 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, Disaster Declarations Summaries (2000 to 2026). October 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023. 2023.
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020 to 2024, median gross rent by bedrooms (B25031). 2020 to 2024.
- Hurricane landfalls: Wikipedia, List of Florida hurricanes (2000 to present). checked October 2026.
Estimates from public data; they change over time. General information, not investment, tax or legal advice, and not a loan offer. Methods and assumptions.