Sarasota Communities

Located on the Gulf shores of the southwestern part of the state, Sarasota County, Florida, is a tropical county with an area of around 725 square miles, more than 150 square miles of which is water. The Census Bureau estimated the county to be home to a population in 2008 of more than 372,000.

The county seat is the city which shares its name, Sarasota, and the county all lies within the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice Metropolitan Statistical Area. The origin of the city and county's name is unknown for certain, though it is thought to have derived from a Native American Calusa term used at the time. 

Other incorporated cities in the county include North Port, Venice and Longboat Key, in addition to more than a dozen unincorporated communities. The county was created in 1921, and today it is a conglomerate of bustling cities, quiet towns and beautiful beaches. Tourism is a mainstay here, as visitors flock from all over to see the beautiful nearly pure quartz beaches of Sarasota. The area is easy to reach, with the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport split between Sarasota and Manatee counties. 

Sarasota County residents were measured in 2000 to have median household annual income of $41,957. Children in Sarasota County have the opportunity to attend Sarasota County Public Schools, or the several private schools in the county. For post-secondary education, options here include New College of Florida, a public liberal arts college; Ringling College of Art and Design, a private art school; and the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus. The area is also known as the cultural hotspot of western Florida, as Sarasota is home to countless attractions for residents and visitors alike to enjoy, from theater houses and cinemas to symphonies, ballets, the opera, high-quality shopping and some of the world's finest beaches.