With around 255 days of sunshine, an average temperature of 72 degrees and 40 miles of coastline, Sarasota County is a great place to live — and an even better place to work as many businesses and entrepreneurs have recently discovered.
For anyone seeking a work-life balance, the draws are clear — clean beaches, abundant golf courses, top-notch restaurants and cultural events. However, Sarasota County also has a thriving small business ecosystem and resources across a wide swath of industries, including workforce recruitment and training.
Business owners looking to relocate could potentially operate for less, while enjoying their downtime in paradise.
If you’re weighing the options of moving your company, launching a startup or working remotely, Sarasota offers the ideal location to get down to business. Here are some reasons to make the leap to Sarasota.
1. More bang for your buck
You could save big on many everyday expenses, such as groceries, housing and transportation. Compared to a metropolis like New York City, a trip to the supermarket costs 25.55% less in Sarasota, housing costs 80.33% less and transportation costs 18.53% less (even utilities are 9.52% less).
2. A top pick among Florida hotspots
According to the U.S. Census, Florida is attracting the highest number of new residents in the nation. While Sarasota has a high quality of life, it also offers better value compared to other cities people are flocking to. The cost of living in Sarasota is 3.2% less than Orlando and 20.6% less than Miami.
3. A sunny climate year-round
If you’ve grown weary of frigid winters in the North and Midwest, ditch the snow shovel for year-round sunshine. Along with plentiful beaches and championship golf courses, Sarasota County has plenty of places to soak up the great outdoors, including 120 parks and trails.
4. A favorable tax climate
When it comes to tax season, Florida ranks No. 4 overall in the 2021 State Business Tax Climate Index compared to Connecticut (No. 47), New York (No. 48), California (No. 49) and New Jersey (No. 50). It’s No. 1 for individual taxes and No. 6 for corporate taxes.
5. A fresh start and fresh air
It’s not just the relaxing lifestyle that will make you feel like you can breathe more deeply, but the actual air quality. Sarasota is No. 1 for the cleanest metropolitan areas in the country for 24-hour particle pollution.
6. Swanky office spaces
Whether you’re setting up a new company headquarters or a work-from-home office, Sarasota has plenty of space for businesses of all sizes. The average rental rate for office space in Sarasota is $27.55 per square foot compared to $55.43 per square foot in New York, $45.48 per square foot in Boston and $42.66 per square foot in Miami.
7. A vibrant green economy
For the past decade, Sarasota has been one of the top sustainable counties in the U.S., leading the charge with a green economy dedicated to clean tech and eco-minded innovation. There are more than 200 certified Green Business Partners operating in an environmentally responsible manner.
8. A hub for movers and shakers
In addition to being well-connected through U.S. highways, Sarasota has five airports within two hours and Port Manatee, one of the largest and fastest-growing, deep-water seaports in Florida. It has everything you need to do domestic and international business.
9. The best school district in Florida
We all know a good school district provides children with a better launching pad into the future. Now imagine the benefits of living in the No. 1 district in the state. Data research from the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics, 24/7 Wall St., named Sarasota County School District as the top school district in Florida. The ranking is based on an index of four measures: the child poverty rate, the teacher-to-student ratio, per-pupil spending and the share of adults with a college education. The Sarasota County district was also given high marks for academics and smaller than average class sizes. Certainly the long-term benefits of moving for a better school district is worth considering.
From executives looking to move their enterprises to millennials launching companies, starting families and buying first homes, Sarasota offers better business opportunities — and beaches. The business-ready environment, superb quality of life and low taxes are hard to beat.
To learn more about relocating your business to Sarasota County, visit https://www.edcsarasotacounty.com/.
