Sarasota VS. Pensacola (Jacksonville, Tampa, Bradenton: rental, insurance, crime)

[CatCosmos]

Which area would you choose to live in? I don't care about the job market because I am self employed, and I don't care about the nightlife. I just care about being around good beaches, good restaurants, a few coffee shops, and of course grocery stores. So which one should I pick?
I hear Pensacola has the better beaches but there's more crime there.
I heard Sarasota is expensive, is that true? Which has more shops or amenities?
Which is the better town overall? Thanks (I'm in my 20s by the way, single, no kids so I don't care about the school systems)

[beninfl]

All depends what you think "Expensive" is?

I'd much prefer Sarasota over South Alabama!

[bbronston]

Seems like we get hit with fewer big storms than the panhandle, too.

[Cardiff by the Sea]

If you don't understand the above post, it means the cultures are very different between the panhandle and the west coast of Florida. The panhandle is a continuation of Louisiana and Alabama. When I drove through there on my move here, it was a Sunday and everyone had their swamp mud toys out.


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The above city comparison seems to say there is really not much difference. Sarasota is more expensive but has better weather.

Because this is such a snow bird tourist destination, there are lots of decent-to-very-good restaurants here. Sarasota is known for performing arts. It is a more sophisticated city.

I think you should check out Ana Marie Island which is off of Bradenton since beaches are a priority to you. It is less well known and less crowded.

[DragonflyMom]

There is going to be a difference in the weather in the winter. The Panhandle can get pretty cold in the winter - occasionally in the 30's.

I agree with the comments about the culture in the Panhandle too. We vacationed on St. George Island every year while living in Atlanta, but when it came time to look for a forever home in Florida, we didn't look there. The locals seem more rural and there's a large number of people wearing camo and driving pickups. Sarasota is more of a museum-nice restaurant-nice-shopping kind of town. I think of Pensacola as a fried-captain's platter-kind of town.

[Fl1150]

Sarasota, Jacksonville , Tampa since you are in your 20s

[CatCosmos]

Wow its overwhelmingly Sarasota. Is it also safer than Pensacola? Which has the better beaches?

[Cardiff by the Sea]

Originally Posted by CatCosmos

Wow its overwhelmingly Sarasota. Is it also safer than Pensacola? Which has the better beaches?

Really? Haven't you tried google search?

I just did a search on best florida beaches and found many lists of top beaches in Florida. Siesta Key is on all of them. Didn't see any references to pensacola.

One site had links to beach pictures by area such as panhandle and southwest florida.

I think the state of florida has a online tool that rates beaches according to what you like--naturalistic, or adventure, or family, or margarettavile.

[sware2cod]

You're posting this question on the Sarasota board. Of course you are going to get overwhelming positive comments for Sarasota.

One thing about Sarasota and most of SW FL...the population explodes during winter 'season' which generally from Jan 1 through Easter. Lots of retiree "snow birds" come for the winter.

I don't think you get snowbirds in Pensacola. And because of the military base in Pensacola, it's likely there are more young people in Pensacola.

Pensacola is closer to other states if you like to take road trips to other areas. It's a long haul out of FL from the Sarasota area, so the trips are much longer when you drive out of state.

If you like Southern culture and/or southern food, you'll find Pensacola has both and Sarasota isn't southern at all other than on the map.

Pensacola is often called "L. A" - which stands for Lower Alabama. This is because of location and also because it's the closed beach/vacation area for folks from Alabama and GA. The general panhandle of FL is also called the Redneck Riveria.

Good luck. Both are great choices.

[Cardiff by the Sea]

Originally Posted by sware2cod

You're posting this question on the Sarasota board.

Catcosmos is not just posting on the Sarasota forum…also considering NC and Texas.


On one of the other forums, you say that Florida property taxes can't be worst than CA. Yes they can. Lived in CA for 25 years, so I speak from experience. Prop 13 limits sets taxes at 1% with a max 2% increase per year. In CA the limits apply to owner occupied or non owner occupied property. In Florida, homesteaded property can go up 3% a year. Non-homesteaded property has no limit. Our rental property went up 11% over last year. There are a lot of fees in the property tax. The school assessment went up 20% for us and that is non challengeable.

Texas is probably the same way. States that don't have state income tax have to get their money somewhere. And yes, insurance costs are much higher because of the hurricanes.

The humidity takes some getting used to. The thing that is much better between the beaches in Fl and in Ca is the temperature. In San Diego, it rarely got over 56 degrees. Here the water is 86. If you surf, don't expect comparable waves in Fl.

You might want to think about a road trip. You are considering diverse places and the cultures are really different. If would be helpful if you experienced them first hand and find out how you feel in each place.

While Sarasota is pretty upscale, there are a lot more seedy people here than I encountered in CA. But people are very friendly and sincere here, as opposed to the CA superficial. Sarasota is like Cheers. Everyone knows your name.