Sarasota Home Prices: $473K, Down 6.5% — 12 ZIPs Analyzed (2026)
$472,781. That is what a typical Sarasota home is worth today, and it is $33,000 less than the same home a year ago. Prices have slipped in 11 of the last 12 months.
Quick answer: The average home price in Sarasota, FL is $472,781 as of February 2026, down 6.5% year over year.
Current Home Prices in Sarasota
The Sarasota median sits at $472,781. That is a 6.5% drop from $505,541 in March 2025. Over the same 12 months, the cheapest ZIP fell from $295,355 to $274,122. The most expensive ZIP slid from $1,083,272 to $1,029,754.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home price (Feb 2026) | $472,781 |
| Year-over-year change | −6.5% |
| Lowest ZIP value | $274,122 (34234) |
| Highest ZIP value | $1,029,754 (34236) |
| Number of ZIPs analyzed | 12 |
| Metro area | North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton |
The spread between the cheapest and priciest ZIPs is $755,632. A buyer in 34234 pays roughly a quarter of what a buyer in 34236 pays. That gap has narrowed by about $33,000 over the past year, mostly because high-end ZIPs gave back more dollars than entry-level ones.
You are looking at a market that is correcting, not collapsing. Twelve months of small declines have added up to a meaningful price cut, but the slide has slowed. The drop between November 2025 and February 2026 was less than $600. Sellers who held out through 2025 are seeing the steep declines flatten.
Sarasota Home Prices by Neighborhood
Twelve ZIPs cover Sarasota proper and its inner ring. Prices range from the high $270Ks to over $1 million.
| ZIP | Median Home Price | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|
| 34234 | $274,122 | $1,937 |
| 34237 | $274,798 | $1,806 |
| 34235 | $311,392 | $2,141 |
| 34232 | $354,340 | $2,162 |
| 34231 | $358,083 | $1,945 |
| 34233 | $360,099 | $2,381 |
| 34243 | $395,754 | $2,045 |
| 34239 | $490,822 | $2,654 |
| 34238 | $500,132 | $1,975 |
| 34241 | $583,270 | $3,038 |
| 34240 | $740,805 | $2,247 |
| 34236 | $1,029,754 | $2,931 |
Most Expensive
34236 — $1,029,754. This is the only Sarasota ZIP above $1 million. Its rent of $2,931 is high, but the price-to-rent ratio is the most stretched in the city, suggesting the area is bought, not rented.
34240 — $740,805. The second-priciest ZIP, but rent here is just $2,247 — lower than several mid-tier neighborhoods. That gap points to large-lot, owner-occupied housing.
34241 — $583,270. Carries the highest rent in the city at $3,038, even though the home price is nearly half of 34236.
Most Affordable
34234 — $274,122. The cheapest ZIP. Rent of $1,937 is also among the lowest, making it accessible on both fronts.
34237 — $274,798. Within $700 of 34234, and the rent of $1,806 is the lowest in Sarasota.
34235 — $311,392. A step up but still well under $400K. Rent of $2,141 fits the city average.
Rent vs Buy in Sarasota
Average rent across the 12 ZIPs is $2,272 a month. Buying a $472,781 home with 20% down ($94,556) leaves a $378,225 loan. At a 7% rate, that is a principal-and-interest payment of roughly $2,516. Add property taxes ($450/month at Florida’s 1.1% effective rate) and insurance ($300/month, often higher near the coast), and the monthly carrying cost lands near $3,266.
| Cost Type | Monthly |
|---|---|
| Average rent (citywide) | $2,272 |
| Mortgage P&I (20% down, 7%) | $2,516 |
| Estimated taxes | $450 |
| Estimated insurance | $300 |
| Total to own | ~$3,266 |
You are paying about $1,000 more per month to own than to rent. That is before maintenance, HOA fees, or hurricane-related insurance hikes that have hit Florida coastal markets.
The math flips in select ZIPs. In 34241, rent is $3,038 — almost the same as the citywide cost of owning the median home. Renters in 34236 pay $2,931, near the ownership break-even line. But in 34237 and 34234, rent is under $2,000 while typical homes sell for under $275,000 — a $1,650 mortgage at 7% with 20% down. That is one of the few corners of Sarasota where buying is actually cheaper than renting.
Population Growth and Migration
Sarasota proper had 57,764 residents in 2024, up from 55,198 in 2020. That is a 4.6% gain over four years.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 55,198 |
| 2021 | 56,197 |
| 2022 | 57,688 |
| 2023 | 58,061 |
| 2024 | 57,764 |
The city peaked at 58,061 in 2023, then lost 297 people in 2024. That is a small dip, but the first contraction in the four-year window. Cooling prices may follow cooling demand.
Compare Sarasota to other Florida cities:
| City | 2024 Population | 4-Year Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Port St. Lucie | 258,575 | +25.0% |
| Cape Coral | 233,025 | +19.2% |
| Miami | 487,014 | +10.0% |
| Orlando | 334,854 | +8.8% |
| Tampa | 414,547 | +6.7% |
| Sarasota | 57,764 | +4.6% |
Sarasota is growing slower than every comparable Florida city in this set. Port St. Lucie added more people in four years (51,724) than Sarasota’s entire population. That tells you the migration story driving Florida’s price boom is happening elsewhere — in suburban gulf and Atlantic communities, not in Sarasota’s city limits.
Sarasota Housing Market Trends
Twelve months of monthly Zillow data show prices going one direction.
| Month | Median |
|---|---|
| Mar 2025 | $505,541 |
| Apr 2025 | $502,264 |
| May 2025 | $498,532 |
| Jun 2025 | $493,746 |
| Jul 2025 | $488,002 |
| Aug 2025 | $482,128 |
| Sep 2025 | $477,397 |
| Oct 2025 | $474,074 |
| Nov 2025 | $472,223 |
| Dec 2025 | $471,682 |
| Jan 2026 | $472,119 |
| Feb 2026 | $472,781 |
The drop was steepest in summer 2025. Between June and August, prices fell $11,744. By contrast, the last three months show a $1,099 gain — small, but the first positive run in the data set. The market may be finding a floor around $472K.
Is Sarasota a Good Place to Buy in 2026?
The data points to a buyer’s market that is starting to stabilize. Prices are 6.5% below where they sat a year ago. Inventory has had time to build during the slide. Sellers who listed at peak prices in early 2025 have likely cut several times.
But the rent-vs-buy gap is wide. You pay $1,000 more per month to own a median-priced Sarasota home than to rent one. Unless you are buying for the long haul or in one of the affordable ZIPs (34234, 34237), the monthly math favors renting.
If you have flexibility on neighborhood, the southwest ZIPs near $275K offer near-parity between rent and ownership costs. If you want the coast, you are paying a premium and accepting negative cash flow if you rent it out.
Sarasota Housing Market Outlook for 2026-2027
The 3-month trend points to flat-to-slightly-positive movement. Prices rose $1,099 from December 2025 to February 2026 after 9 straight months of declines. If that pace continues, the market would gain about $4,400 over the next 12 months — essentially flat in real terms.
A return to the steeper declines of mid-2025 would require a fresh shock — insurance spikes, hurricane damage, or a population reversal larger than the 297-person dip seen in 2024. None of those are visible in the current data.
The most likely scenario from the numbers alone: a $470K-$480K trading range through late 2026, with high-end ZIPs (34236, 34240) more exposed to further softness than entry-level areas.
Similar Markets in FL
If you are weighing Sarasota against other Florida cities, these comparisons may help:
- Tampa — A larger metro to the north with stronger population growth (+6.7%) and a different price profile.
- Orlando — Inland alternative, faster-growing population (+8.8%), no coastal insurance premium.
- Jacksonville — Cheaper Atlantic-coast option, often with lower insurance costs.
- Port Saint Lucie — The fastest-growing city in this comparison set (+25.0%), worth a look if migration trends matter to you.
- Fort Lauderdale — South Florida coastal market with a different price tier.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average home price in Sarasota?
The average home price in Sarasota is $472,781 as of February 2026. That number reflects the typical mid-tier home value across the city’s 12 ZIP codes, ranging from $274,122 in 34234 to $1,029,754 in 34236.
Are home prices going up or down in Sarasota?
Prices are down 6.5% over the past year. The median fell from $505,541 in March 2025 to $472,781 in February 2026. The decline has slowed in recent months — the latest 3-month change is a small gain of $1,099.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Sarasota?
Renting is cheaper. Average rent across the city is $2,272 a month, while owning the median home runs about $3,266 monthly with 20% down at a 7% mortgage rate (including taxes and insurance). The gap closes in the cheapest ZIPs, where rent and mortgage payments are nearly equal.
What is the most affordable neighborhood in Sarasota?
ZIP 34234 is the most affordable at $274,122. ZIP 34237 is essentially tied at $274,798. Both sit roughly 42% below the citywide median, and 34237 also has the lowest rent in Sarasota at $1,806 per month.
Methodology
Home values are based on the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), a smoothed measure of typical home values in the 35th to 65th percentile range. Rent estimates use the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI). Population figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (2020-2024 vintage). All datasets are publicly available. Housing data updated 2026-02-28.