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 $40,817. Per capita income grew by 26.9% between 1997 and 2007 (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 (2008)	372,057	174	Covered Employment	155,159	183
Growth (%) since 1990	33.9%	559	Avg wage per job	$37,737	483
Households (2000)	149,937	147	Manufacturing - % all jobs in County	4.8%	2300
Labor Force (persons) (2008)	170,903	192	Avg wage per job	$41,078	1066
Unemployment Rate (2008)	7.0	745	Transportation & Warehousing - % all jobs in County	1.4%	2012
Per Capita Personal Income (2007)	$55,559	46	Avg wage per job	$39,831	1118
Median Household Income (2007)	$50,031	591	Health Care, Social Assist. - % all jobs in County	15.3%	401
Poverty Rate (2007)	8.1	2872	Avg wage per job	$40,817	349
H.S. Diploma or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	87.1	349	Finance and Insurance - % all jobs in County	4.4%	351
Bachelor's Deg. or More - % of Adults 25+ (2000)	27.4	287	Avg wage per job	$73,059	84