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Buying a home in Sarasota County, Florida

The typical owner-occupied home in Sarasota County is worth about $411,800, 15% above the Florida median of $359,000 and 24% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,106 a year in property taxes, about 0.75% of their home's value, close to the Florida rate of 0.76%. The median household earns $83,416 a year, so the median home costs 4.9 times the median income (4.8 times for Florida). 77% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 48% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Sarasota County at a glance

Sarasota County Florida U.S.
Median home value $411,800 $359,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $3,106 $2,730 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.75% 0.76% 0.94%
Median household income $83,416 $74,568 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 77% 68% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 48% 56% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,976 $1,959 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 23.6% 23.6% 21.0%
Median rent $1,818 $1,669 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 35.0% 35.2% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1988 1988 1980
Vacant homes 20.4% 14.7% 10.1%
Population 459,547 22,416,077 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Sarasota County

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Sarasota County home of $411,800 with 20% down costs about $2,645 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,331, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $113,362 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 38% of the median Sarasota County household income of $83,416; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $303,000.

The median rent here is $1,818 a month, so owning the median home costs about $827 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$82,360
Loan amount$329,440
Principal and interest$2,216
Property taxes (0.75% a year)$257
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$172
PMI$0
Total per month$2,645

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$14,413
Loan amount$404,341
Principal and interest$2,720
Property taxes (0.75% a year)$257
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$172
FHA mortgage insurance$182
Total per month$3,331

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Questions about home buying in Sarasota County

What is the median home value in Sarasota County?

About $411,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Sarasota County?

Homeowners pay a median $3,106 a year, which is about 0.75% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Sarasota County?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,645 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $113,362 a year.

More about Sarasota County

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data