Sarasota metropolitan area

The Sarasota metropolitan area is a metropolitan area located in Southwest Florida. The metropolitan area is defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as the North Port–Bradenton–Sarasota Metropolitan Statistical Area, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) consisting of Manatee County and Sarasota County. The principal cities listed by the OMB for the MSA are North Port, Bradenton, Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch, and Venice. At the 2020 census, the MSA had a population of 833,716. The Census Bureau estimates that its population was 910,108 in 2023.

The North Port–Bradenton–Sarasota MSA is a component of the larger North Port–Bradenton Combined Statistical Area, a combined statistical area (CSA) consisting of the North Port–Bradenton–Sarasota MSA, the Punta Gorda, Florida MSA ( Charlotte County), and the Arcadia, Florida, micropolitan statistical area ( DeSoto County). At the 2020 census, the CSA had a population of 1,054,539. The Census Bureau estimates that its population was 1,152,221 in 2023.

History of the metropolitan area designations

The Sarasota standard metropolitan statistical area (SMSA) was first defined in 1973, and included only Sarasota County. The Bradenton SMSA was defined after the 1980 United States census, and included only Manatee County. The two MSAs were combined in 1993 as the Sarasota–Bradenton metropolitan statistical area. Venice was added as a principal city after the 2000 census. In 2007, the MSA was renamed the Bradenton–Sarasota–Venice MSA because Bradenton's population then exceeded that of Sarasota. In 2009, the area was designated the North Port–Bradenton–Sarasota MSA after North Port qualified as a "principal city" under the metropolitan statistical area definition and was determined to be the largest of the area's three principal cities. In 2013, the MSA was renamed North Port–Sarasota–Bradenton metropolitan statistical area. In July 2023, the MSA was renamed to the North Port–Bradenton–Sarasota MSA, and the CSA was renamed to the North Port–Bradenton CSA. Lakewood Ranch was also added as a principal city within the MSA.

Demographics

Counties

Cities

Largest cities

The following is a list of the five largest cities in the Sarasota metropolitan area as ranked by population.

Other cities and towns

Census designated places

The following is a list of census-designated places (CDPs) ranked by population. CDPs in the combined statistical area are included.

Climate

The Sarasota metropolitan area, like most of Florida, is located in the humid subtropical zone (Köppen climate classification: ''Cfa''), closely bordering on a tropical climate like Southern Florida, characterized by hot, humid summers with frequent afternoon thunderstorms, and relatively drier and mild winters.

Transportation

Roads

Freeways

* Interstate 75
* Interstate 275

U.S. highways

* U.S. Route 19
* U.S. Route 41
* U.S. Route 301

State roads

* State Road 37
* State Road 62
* State Road 64
* State Road 70
* State Road 72
* State Road 681
* State Road 684
* State Road 758
* State Road 776
* State Road 777
* State Road 780
* State Road 789

County roads

* List of county roads in Charlotte County, Florida
* List of county roads in DeSoto County, Florida
* List of county roads in Manatee County, Florida
* List of county roads in Sarasota County, Florida

Ports

* SeaPort Manatee

Airports

* Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport

Public airports

* Buchan Airport
* Venice Municipal Airport

Public transportation

Sarasota and Manatee counties have transit networks, Breeze Transit (formerly Sarasota County Area Transit, SCAT) and Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT), which run bus services in the area. Amtrak operates an Amtrak Thruway route through the area starting in St. Petersburg- Clearwater and ending in Fort Myers, with Sarasota and Ellenton operating as stops along the route.

Media

Newspapers

* '' Anna Maria Island Sun''
* ''Bradenton Herald''
* '' Business Observer'', a business newspaper published in Sarasota, serves several other regions of Florida.
* '' East County Observer''
* '' Longboat Observer''
* '' The Bradenton Times'', an online newspaper.
* '' The Islander''
* ''Sarasota Herald-Tribune''
* '' Siesta Key Observer''
* '' Sarasota Observer''
*'' Tempo News''
*'' Venice Gondolier Sun''

Magazines

* '' Sarasota Magazine''
* '' SRQ Magazine''
* Venice: Gulf Coast Living Magazine

Television

* ABC 7
* WSNN (SNN)

Radio

* WBRD
* WCTQ
* WDIZ (AM)
* WHPT
* WJIS
* WKDW-LP
* WKES
* WLSS
* WRUB (FM)
* WSDV
* WSLR-LP
* WSMR (FM)
* WSRQ (AM)
* WTMY
* WWPR (AM)

Education

Public education is provided by Manatee County School District and Sarasota County Public Schools.

Colleges and universities

The following college/university campuses exist in the metropolitan area.

* Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training
* East West College of Natural Medicine
* Everglades University
* Florida State University College of Medicine
* Keiser University
* LECOM
* Ringling College of Art and Design
* New College of Florida
* State College of Florida Sarasota-Manatee
* USF Sarasota-Manatee

Economy

The Sarasota Metropolitan Area has a gross metropolitan product of $45.41 billion as of 2023.

Recreation and culture

Parks/nature reserves

Federally owned

DeSoto National Memorial

State owned

* Lake Manatee State Park
* Myakka River State Park
* Oscar Scherer State Park
* Terra Ceia Preserve

Museums

* Bishop Museum of Science and Nature
* Florida Maritime Museum
* Florida Railroad Museum
* John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
* Palmetto Historical Park
* Sarasota Classic Car Museum

Theatres

* Florida Studio Theatre
* Sarasota Opera House
* Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall

See also

* Florida census statistical areas
* Manatee County, Florida
* Sarasota County, Florida
* Southwest Florida
* Tampa Bay Area

References

External links

Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical area
definitions
{{Geography of Florida

Sarasota, Florida
Bradenton, Florida
Venice, Florida
North Port, Florida
Manatee County, Florida
Sarasota County, Florida
South Florida
Central Florida
1973 establishments in Florida