same $100k income, fresh start from Chicago

change
Sarasota, FL cityscape

next stop after chicago

Sarasota

fl · metro 262k

photo: Jeffrey Eisen / pexels

a dispatch from

sarasota

FL

27.34°N

82.54°W

Sarasota is the home of the Ringling Brothers Circus (the museum is wild, and yes, there's a vintage clown college history), and Siesta Key's beach is regularly named the best in America for its pure quartz sand. The cultural scene is heavy for a Florida city of its size (theater, opera, art museum). Gulf sunsets here are the brochure shot. The food scene has caught up to the city's wealth and the retirees' time.

metro262k

in our guides

#10

of 10

Sunniest affordable US cities

read the guide
#10

of 10

Affordable cities to escape the cold

read the guide
#3

of 10

Low-tax cities with great weather

read the guide
#2

of 10

Best cities in states with no income tax

read the guide
#6

of 10

Best cities to live in the South

read the guide
#5

of 10

Best small cities to live in

read the guide
#4

of 10

Best cities on the East Coast

read the guide
#2

of 10

Best cities to live in Florida

read the guide
#4

of 10

Best cities for a $150k salary

read the guide
#4

of 10

Best cities for a $200k salary

read the guide
#7

of 10

Best cities to live in the Southeast

read the guide
#5

of 10

Best cities for foodies

read the guide
#8

of 10

Best cities to leave San Diego for

read the guide
#9

of 10

Best cities to live in your 30s

read the guide

01 · the verdict

the verdict

$461

under Chicago, every month

Not a fortune, but real money. Sarasota runs cheaper than Chicago month over month.
landable, recorded on the sarasota entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$2,121/mo

2% cheaper than Chicago(vs $2,170/mo)

02state income tax

0%

$412/mo less in state tax than Chicago

vs 4.95% in Chicago

03after rent

$6,212/mo

$461 more than Chicago

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$423k

16% more expensive than Chicago

vs $365k in Chicago

05metro size

262k

vs 9.3M in Chicago

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

249

pleasant days a year, in sarasota.

Chicago barely cracks 153 pleasant ones.

Lighter on events: Chicago packs 431.7× more into a month.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

59/100

16% lower than Chicago

vs 70/100 in Chicago

Closest outdoor draw: Myakka River State Park, 15.9 mi.

·walk score®

96/100

4% lower than Chicago

vs 100/100 in Chicago

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

6

97% fewer than Chicago

vs 217 nonstops in Chicago

04 · see also

neighbors of sarasota on the map of tradeoffs:

see also

myrtle beach

more flight options

turn the page

see also

wilmington

$71/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

pensacola

$369/mo cheaper

turn the page

compare sarasota with:

Myrtle BeachWilmingtonPensacola