with $100k coming in, swapping out of Tallahassee

change
Sarasota, FL cityscape

from tallahassee

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

$594

the monthly premium over Tallahassee

Sarasota runs a little pricier than Tallahassee. The case has to be about something other than rent.
landable, recorded on the sarasota entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$2,121/mo

39% more expensive than Tallahassee(vs $1,527/mo)

02state income tax

0%

vs 0% in Tallahassee

03after rent

$6,212/mo

$594 less than Tallahassee

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

04a house here

$423k

46% more expensive than Tallahassee

vs $289k in Tallahassee

05metro size

262k

vs 393k in Tallahassee

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

249

pleasant days a year, in sarasota.

Tallahassee barely cracks 186 pleasant ones.

A real upgrade on things to do: 1.5× Tallahassee's pace.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

59/100

2% higher than Tallahassee

vs 58/100 in Tallahassee

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

·walk score®

96/100

25% higher than Tallahassee

vs 77/100 in Tallahassee

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

6

14% fewer than Tallahassee

vs 7 nonstops in Tallahassee

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