| Sarasota is a small city in the Tampa Bay are and | | | | Transportation also costs relatively higher in Sarasota |
| tourists have considered it as "the ultimate beach | | | | than in other localities around the Tampa Bay area. A |
| town," with its sun-kissed location on the Gulf of | | | | recent survey on July of last year administered over |
| Mexico, more than 200 sunny days annually and an | | | | residents living in Sarasota County found more people |
| average year-round temperature of 71 Fahrenheit. The | | | | thinking that the county has become a worse place to |
| Sarasota county, which includes Venice, Northport, | | | | live than it was five years ago. The respondents |
| Longboat and Siesta Keys, has its own ballet, | | | | commonly agree that traffic in Sarasota County is |
| symphony, and opera companies. The 1800 seat Van | | | | among its primary headaches. |
| Wezel Performing Arts Center attracts productions | | | | If you are a working couple with schooling kids, living in |
| like the Broadway road company of Chicago. The | | | | Sarasota is a recommended choice in terms of its |
| Ringling Museum of Art, which was established by | | | | education services and employment opportunities. The |
| circus baron John Ringling who settled in the area in | | | | schools in Sarasota are considered to be outstanding, |
| the 1920s, features an extensive collection of | | | | and the job market is invigorating. While Sarasota |
| American and European art. If you are a sports | | | | County's public school students in key grades |
| aficionado, just an hour away from Sarasota you can | | | | outscored 95% of their peers in the whole of Florida, |
| witness games of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers | | | | the city also posted job growth of 5% in the past year. |
| and arena football's Storm. The lifestyle is relatively | | | | Albeit a small city, Sarasota had been ranked among |
| affordable than other busy cities in the United States. | | | | the top 25 metropolitan areas in the United States. |
| With respect to other towns and cities within the | | | | Forecasts for the next 10 years see Sarasota to |
| Tampa Bay area, however, Sarasota does not fair | | | | experience a 30.5 % increase in jobs that will |
| much. In a cost of living composite index published in | | | | effectively catapult its status to No. 7 in the entire |
| the first quarter of 2005, Sarasota scores at 105.7, | | | | country. Many of those jobs will come from the retail |
| which is higher than Bradenton, St. | | | | and service sectors. Sarasota may be a thriving tourist |
| Petersburg-Clearwater and Tampa. The national | | | | destination, but it also can compete in other industries. |
| average is at 100. In terms of housing, Sarasota also | | | | Sarasota has maintained its natural treasures. Living in |
| did not come out cheap with a 119.8 index as | | | | Sarasota provides you with the benefit of enjoying the |
| compared to less than a hundred for St. | | | | pristine environment by enjoying activities such as |
| Petersburg-Clearwater and Tampa. Nevertheless, real | | | | canoeing and kayaking, fishing at the bay, traveling the |
| estate agents in Sarasota apparently boast of low | | | | waterways. Several islands are arrayed on the bay |
| median housing prices, typically advertised around | | | | waters creating a sanctuary for many bird species. |
| $126,000. Furthermore, Sarasota is the kind of place | | | | The waters abound with many varieties of fish |
| where one can acquire a nice, brand-new home for | | | | including snook, tarpon and mangrove snapper. |
| $200,000. Living in Sarasota is quite locally expensive, | | | | Sarasota also boasts of its dolphins and manatees. |
| but nonetheless affordable in terms of the benefits | | | | With the blessings of Mother Nature, living in Sarasota |
| that you can derive from living in a small city with a | | | | is like being on vacation every day with sunny days, |
| subtropical climate. A hefty volume of retirees have an | | | | blue skies, the gulf coast breeze, and miles of the best |
| interesting preference for living in Sarasota. | | | | beaches. |