Sarasota County is one of about 3,141 counties and county equivalents in the United States. It has 571.6 sq. miles in land area and a population density of 650.9 per square mile. In the last three decades of the 1900s its population grew by 170.7%. On the 2000 census form, 99.0% of the population reported only one race, with 4.2% of these reporting African-American. The population of this county is 4.3% Hispanic (of any race). The average household size is 2.13 persons compared to an average family size of 2.61 persons. In 2007 health care and social assistance was the largest of 20 major sectors. It had an average wage per job of $40,827. Per capita income grew by 27.5% between 1996 and 2006 (adjusted for inflation).

People & Income Overview (By Place of Residence)	Value	Rank in U.S.	Industry Overview (2007) (By Place of Work)	Value	Rank in U.S.
Population (2007)	372,073	174	Covered Employment	155,151	183
Growth (%) since 1990	33.9%	533	Avg wage per job	$37,730	483
Households (2000)	149,937	147	Manufacturing - % all jobs in County	4.8%	2300
Labor Force (persons) (2007)	178,448	184	Avg wage per job	$41,080	1067
Unemployment Rate (2007)	4.3	1809	Transportation & Warehousing - % all jobs in County	1.4%	2013
Per Capita Personal Income (2006)	$52,772	45	Avg wage per job	$39,835	1120
Median Household Income (2005)	$44,789	681	Health Care, Social Assist. - % all jobs in County	15.3%	403
Poverty Rate (2005)	9.1	2686	Avg wage per job	$40,827	352
H.S. Diploma or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	87.1	349	Finance and Insurance - % all jobs in County	4.4%	350
Bachelor's Deg. or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	27.4	287	Avg wage per job	$73,046	84