Thinking about Relocating from Ohio to Sarasota (Bradenton, University: crime, how much)

[bbcle]

Hi ALL!

My wife and I are thinking about relocating from Ohio to Sarasota sometime later this year. We have visited many many times and enjoy the area.

We are both in our early 30's, no kids yet, my wife is an RN and I work from a home office. We are not overly concerned about the job market.

We really like the University Parkway area. We have looked at Lakewood Ranch, Palmer Ranch, and some of the communities to the North along 64. We have even looked as far North as Parrish, and as far South as Venice.

Some of the concerns we have that we would like some input on is the crime in the area. I understand that "crime is everywhere"

Where we live now, it's relatively safe and we don't really have to worry about anything. We have some DUI's and some minor things here and there, but nobody is getting robbed, cars aren't being stolen, etc, etc.

If I look at the local news websites and area crime maps in the Sarasota/Bradenton area, it seems like there is alot going on, all over the whole area. Is it just that Sarasota/Bradenton reports everything that happens or is it really that bad?

Unfortunately the area in Ohio we are in, does not have the crime mapping available and not much is in our news, so maybe we are living blind as to what is happening in our area? I don't know?

Any input would be appreciated!

[blueherons]

We live in Sarasota in Gulf Gate and never lock our doors.

There are pockets of crime, and let's face it, there is always crime around airports which is where University is located, but for the most part Sarasota is really safe.

There are some beautiful neighborhoods off University. I wouldn't think a thing about moving out there except it is too far from the beach and downtown for me.

I don't know what kind of Mayberry you live in but I wouldn't let the thought of crime keep me awake.

Be concerned about jobs if at least one of you cannot transfer. If not, don't move here without one household sustaining job already in the bag.

[bbronston]

I've been using and recommending crimemapping.com as an objective way of answering questions about crime. Apparently, you have been using it, too. It's something of a double-edged sword, though. Frankly, until I started using this resource, I had absolutely no idea of how much was going on in the area. So, yes, I know more but I also dislike the impression that crime is running rampant. My point is that it would not surprise me if your town was the same to some degree. I grew up in Cincinnati and lived/worked in New York and I feel safer here, even now that I've seen the data, than I did in those places. It's just not a big concern. I'm not naive about it, I exercise caution without being obsessed about it, and everything pretty much falls into place.

[bbcle]

Thanks for the replies!

The crimemapping.com website is in fact the one I have been looking at. I really wish it was available where we live now so I could compare!

[Doctorof_Education]

I lived in Sarasota for four months and it's just like any other place in that it has its very nice areas and other areas that are full of filth. If I remember correctly, university by 75 is good and modern. There is a Super Target there from what I remember. Anything around University & 75 is new, modern, and nice. The farther you get away from 75, the more disgusting it becomes. Well, right after you get past the beautiful Starbucks.

The didn't like the "downtown" area at all. Too many FREAKS walking around there. And the Whole Foods? Always nice but a lot of the time you will see, how can I say this, weird looking people walking around.

[joeyddog]

I feel very safe here but definitely lock my door and car. There are pockets of crime reported in some of the scruffy neighborhoods but vast parts of Sarasota are relatively crime-free. My own development "The Meadows" publishes a monthly newspaper which had a crime column. They report stolen bikes left outside, cars raided for change because they weren't locked. This kind of crime I can deal with.