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Community Portrait
Sarasota County by-the-numbers
Seven things to know about Sarasota county; vital statistics; growth rate estimates; top 10 employers
Unincorporated Communities
Communities: Nokomis, Siesta Key, Casey Key, Manasota Key, Osprey, Englewood and Lakewood Ranch
Notable: Communities along the Gulf swell during winter season. Englewood and Lakewood Ranch are special tax districts. Until recently, Lakewood Ranch’s footprint in Sarasota County was limited to commercial development.
Growth Rate Estimates 2010-17
- North Port: 15.6%
- Venice: 11.0%
- Sarasota County: 10.5%
- Sarasota: 9.5%
- Longboat Key: 5.9%
Top 10 Employers
Employer — # of Local Employees
Sarasota Memorial Health — 4,563
PGT Innovations — 2,000
Publix — 1,733
Venice Regional Medical Center — 812
Sun Hydraulics — 632
Tervis — 570
Shared Services Center — 455
FCCI Insurance — 426
Doctors Hospital — 415
Jackson Hewitt — 337
Politics
Sarasota County is strongly Republican, though traditionally more fiscally conservative than socially conservative. Republicans make up 42.5% of registered voters, with 30.3% registered as Democrats and 27.1% registered as no party affiliation.
The city of Sarasota has a commission- manager form of government. The five-member elected commission appoints the city manager, who acts as the chief city administrative officer. The commission also annually elects a mayor among them. The mayor serves a ceremonial role.
