Sarasota County, Florida Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Sarasota County, Florida, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Sarasota County, Florida. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Sarasota County, Florida. The estimated population of Sarasota County, Florida is 429,336 people, with a median age of 56.5.

We can look at the total population in Sarasota County over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
429,336
+0.37%
+6.05%
2020
427,766
+1.97%
-
2019
419,496
+1.78%
-
2018
412,144
+1.8%
-
2017
404,839
 - -

Population of Sarasota County, Florida by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
82%
83.5%
 -1.80%
Black/African American
4.2%
4.5%
 -6.67%
Native
0.1%
0.2%
 -50.00%
Hispanic
9.7%
8.8%
 +10.23%
Asian
1.7%
1.6%
 +6.25%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
2%
1.2%
 +66.67%
Other
0.2%
0.2%
 0.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Sarasota County, Florida by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 56.5 -0.18% 55.2 +0.18% 57.7 -0.17%
2020 56.6 +0.89% 55.1 +1.1% 57.8 +1.05%
2019 56.1 +1.08% 54.5 +0.74% 57.2 +0.88%
2018 55.5 +0.73% 54.1 +1.31% 56.7 +0.53%
2017 55.1 - 53.4 - 56.4 -

The median age of Sarasota County, Florida gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 15,878 -6.65% 15,425 +3.06% 14,841 15,891
10 to 19 18,358 +10.3% 16,812 +3.62% 20,317 17,423
20 to 29 17,485 +2.15% 16,802 +3.43% 17,858 17,379
30 to 39 16,780 +3.97% 17,335 +4.09% 17,452 18,045
40 to 49 19,547 +1.11% 20,811 -0.22% 19,752 20,756
50 to 59 26,176 +3.93% 29,404 +4.26% 27,195 30,662
60 to 69 32,217 +7.2% 39,100 +5.75% 34,562 41,366
70+ 46,887 +14.15% 55,822 +10.68% 53,848 61,989

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Sarasota County, Florida is $69,490.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Sarasota County.

  • Under 25
    $51,263.00
  • 25 to 44
    $78,204.00
  • 45 to 64
    $78,972.00
  • 65 and over
    $62,673.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Sarasota County, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Sarasota County, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Sarasota County, Florida is currently $104,533.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

9.81% of households in Sarasota County are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Sarasota County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    14.26%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    20.52%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    18.49%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    13.86%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    16.24%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    6.80%
  • $200,000 or more
    9.81%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Sarasota County is $48,265.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Sarasota County by the total population of Sarasota County.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Sarasota County, Florida, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Sarasota County to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    17.10%
  • Bachelor's degree
    33.05%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    11.05%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    36.35%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.46%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Sarasota County that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Sarasota County over the age of 16 is 375,841.

Of those people, a total of 49.50% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Sarasota County is 47.70%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 14,977 48.60% 6.10%
20 to 24 years 17,141 82.20% 5.80%
25 to 29 years 18,096 86.20% 5.00%
30 to 34 years 17,655 85.20% 2.60%
35 to 44 years 36,585 85.10% 3.10%
45 to 54 years 47,157 82.40% 2.40%
55 to 59 years 32,465 67.70% 2.90%
60 to 64 years 35,062 53.00% 4.10%
65 to 74 years 80,653 22.40% 4.10%
75 years and over 76,050 7.00% 3.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Sarasota County. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 336,550 47.90% 3.50%
Black or African American 14,914 61.30% 6.90%
American Indian and Alaska Native 722 62.20% 1.10%
Asian 6,446 57.30% 0.40%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 125 64.80% 0.00%
Other 4,438 69.10% 4.80%
Two or more races 12,646 66.90% 3.10%
Hispanic or Latino 31,941 71.20% 4.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 316,790 46.40% 3.40%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Sarasota County as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Sarasota County is 179,213, with median earnings of $38,488.00.

Women in Sarasota County, Florida earning approximately 72.60% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 179,213 $38,488.00
Male 91,358 $44,411.00
Female 87,855 $32,253.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 20,154 $70,178.00
Business and Financial 8,875 $64,816.00
Computer and Mathematical 2,595 $70,927.00
Architecture and Engineering 1,923 $68,542.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 1,309 $55,250.00
Community and Social Service 2,825 $46,264.00
Legal 2,390 $51,760.00
Educational and Library 8,328 $37,725.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 4,122 $29,482.00
Healthcare Practitioners 14,193 $61,384.00
Healthcare Support 6,167 $26,273.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 1,752 $25,219.00
Law Enforcement 1,069 $52,461.00
Food Preparation and Serving 13,880 $18,622.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 8,011 $26,065.00
Personal Care and Service 5,578 $20,502.00
Sales 23,433 $38,747.00
Office and Administrative Support 21,286 $32,187.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 318 $16,409.00
Construction and Extraction 9,752 $41,315.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 5,208 $43,043.00
Production 5,999 $33,423.00
Transportation and Material Moving 5,387 $33,088.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 12,938 $77,896.00 7,216 $54,578.00
Business and Financial 4,545 $77,946.00 4,330 $55,051.00
Computer and Mathematical 1,751 $77,676.00 844 $53,462.00
Architecture and Engineering 1,647 $72,992.00 276 $65,515.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 684 $60,714.00 625 $44,232.00
Community and Social Service 992 $46,512.00 1,833 $46,028.00
Legal 1,303 $66,490.00 1,087 $48,207.00
Educational and Library 1,939 $53,028.00 6,389 $31,922.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 2,068 $43,406.00 2,054 $22,510.00
Healthcare Practitioners 4,011 $80,481.00 10,182 $56,910.00
Healthcare Support 693 $39,543.00 5,474 $25,433.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 1,368 $27,432.00 384 $14,067.00
Law Enforcement 765 $52,245.00 304 $55,795.00
Food Preparation and Serving 6,808 $20,283.00 7,072 $17,557.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 4,840 $29,688.00 3,171 $20,415.00
Personal Care and Service 963 $18,169.00 4,615 $20,882.00
Sales 11,692 $52,809.00 11,741 $29,342.00
Office and Administrative Support 4,382 $37,018.00 16,904 $31,583.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 151 $35,852.00 167 $15,765.00
Construction and Extraction 9,314 $41,482.00 438 $38,571.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 5,041 $42,475.00 167 $53,958.00
Production 4,934 $35,373.00 1,065 $27,369.00
Transportation and Material Moving 4,446 $33,048.00 941 $33,184.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 193,923 households in Sarasota County, with an average household size of 2.19 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 120,250 families in Sarasota County with an average family size of 2.7 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 98,043 5,540 16,667 73,673
Average Household Size 2.67 3 3.21 1.25
Total Families 98,043 5,540 16,667 0
Average Household Size 2.65 2.72 2.98 0

Poverty

Of the 120,250 families in Sarasota County, 5.20% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Sarasota County:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 249,418 housing units in Sarasota County, Florida.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 193,923 77.75%
Vacant 55,495 22.25%

17.42% of the total 249,418 housing units in Sarasota County are rental units. This is approximately 43,444 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 147,154 are occupied by the owner - or 59.00% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Sarasota County is $1,415.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Sarasota County that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    3,325
  • Less than $500
    1,077
  • $500 to $999
    7,011
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    16,635
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    10,973
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    3,911
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    1,180
  • $3,000 or more
    2,657

Property Value

The median value of a property in Sarasota County is $286,000.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Sarasota County that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    5,951
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    5,501
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    10,403
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    18,603
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    38,165
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    40,414
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    21,050
  • $1,000,000 or more
    7,067

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Sarasota County. The chart below shows the number of properties in Sarasota County that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    3,284
  • 1940 to 1949
    2,492
  • 1950 to 1959
    15,602
  • 1960 to 1969
    23,408
  • 1970 to 1979
    52,321
  • 1980 to 1989
    48,404
  • 1990 to 1999
    35,999
  • 2000 to 2009
    45,387
  • 2010 to 2013
    21,225
  • 2014 or later
    1,296

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Sarasota County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    8,951
  • 1 vehicle available
    82,464
  • 2 vehicles available
    76,642
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    25,866

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Sarasota County get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Sarasota County that commute to work in a particular way.

24.2 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Sarasota County.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    2,945
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    12,676
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    19,091
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    23,541
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    38,200
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    7,900
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    29,193
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    2,872
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    3,816
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    8,339
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    4,246
  • 90 or more minutes
    2,779

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Sarasota County, Florida in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in Sarasota County, Florida

We have data for 32 places in Sarasota County, Florida. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.