Sarasota and Palmetto receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Sarasota
Palmetto
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 48%
vs55 · Bottom 48%
Growth
48 · Bottom 46%
vs41 · Bottom 33%
Climate
81 · Top 14%
vs81 · Top 14%
Physical resilience
6 · Bottom 2%
vs10 · Bottom 4%
Housing affordability
47 · Bottom 8%
vs59 · Bottom 19%
Schools
60 · Top 39%
vs48 · Bottom 45%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
30 · Bottom 7%
vs30 · Bottom 7%
Measured values
| Metric | Sarasota | Palmetto | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 56,970 | 13,588 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,105 | $62,621 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $60,995 | $39,890 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,875/sq mi | 2,533/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $463,000 | $313,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,684 | $1,366 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.5% | 68.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.8% | 28.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.0% | 13.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 223 | 9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.9 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -56.7% | -25.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 52°F | 52°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 49.0" | 49.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.5 min | 28.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 48.2 | 49.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.97 | 17.72 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 59.2% | 56.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 57.9% | 51.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 55.5% | 54.8% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Sarasota
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Palmetto
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: Sarasota, FL · Palmetto, FL · How this is calculated: methodology