Census-designated place · Sarasota County, Florida

Plantation (CDP), Florida

Plantation is a census-designated place in Sarasota County, Florida, part of the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL metro area. It has 4,531 residents. Plantation (CDP), Florida has a quality-of-life score of 83 out of 100 (very high), ranking #2,675 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Florida it ranks #17 of 780 cities and towns. It ranks best on unemployment rate (low), math scores (high) and reading scores (high). It ranks worst on rent-burdened households (high), natural hazard risk (high) and hot days (high).

83Very high

Quality-of-life score: #2,675 of 15,651 cities and towns
Florida: #17 of 780 in FL
Population: 4,531 (2020-2024)
Land area: 2 mi²
Density: 2,062.5 /mi²
FIPS code: 1257450

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 74 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety69#4,824/15,637
Economy87#2,087/15,631
Housing2#14,705/14,977
Health83#2,589/15,609
Healthcare87#1,967/15,650
Environment56#6,753/15,453
Education94#908/15,649
Infrastructure68#5,016/15,650
Community62#5,902/15,651
Leisure & amenities93#1,155/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Plantation (CDP), Florida ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Sarasota County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Unemployment rate · low0.0%
98/100Florida 3.9%United States 4.3%2020-2024U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Census table B23025
Math scores · high3.52
97/100Florida 3.28United States 3.032019University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteSarasota County value
Reading scores · high3.46
97/100Florida 3.17United States 3.052019University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteSarasota County value
Food insecurity · low7.8%
93/100Florida 17.9%United States 15.6%2022Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
New business applications · high21.4 /1k
93/100Florida 27.6 /1kUnited States 16.6 /1k2025U.S. Census BureauSarasota County value
Physical inactivity · low16.6%
90/100Florida 25.5%United States 26.5%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate

Weaknesses

Rent-burdened households · high79.1%
2/100Florida 60.1%United States 51.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25070
Natural hazard risk · high95.2
5/100Florida 75.92025Federal Emergency Management AgencySarasota County value
Hot days · high118 days
5/100Florida 102 daysUnited States 42 days2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationSarasota County value
Drought exposure · high92%
5/100Florida 78%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAASarasota County value
Rent as share of income · high38.3%
6/100Florida 35.2%United States 30.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25071
Public libraries · low0.2 /10k
12/100Florida 0.2 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesSarasota County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationFalling
5,026 (2015-2019) → 4,531 (2020-2024)
−9.8%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
63.4% (2015-2019) → 79.1% (2020-2024)
+16 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Unemployment rateImproving
8.6% (2015-2019) → 0.0% (2020-2024)
−8.6 pts5 yearsCensus table B23025US 3.7% → 4.0%
Bachelor's degree or higherWorsening
50.4% (2015-2019) → 42.0% (2020-2024)
−8.5 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.1% → 35.7%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
83.7% (2015-2019) → 90.1% (2020-2024)
+6.4 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Rent as share of incomeImproving
44.3% (2015-2019) → 38.3% (2020-2024)
−6 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Plantation (CDP), Florida improved on 2 of 12 measures with a comparison and declined on 3. 7 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved2

Unemployment−8.6 points8.6% → 0.0%
Household income+18%$66,344 → $78,404

Declined3

Bachelor's+−8.5 points50.4% → 42.0%
Price / income+1.1×4.2× → 5.3×
Poverty+3.1 points2.5% → 5.6%

All 12 measures

Change of every measure of Plantation (CDP), Florida between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	22.0 min2015-2019	22.2 min2020-2024	+0.1 min	Within the margin of error	46%
Bachelor's degree or higher	50.4%2015-2019	42.0%2020-2024	−8.5 points	Declined	3%
Broadband subscriptions	83.7%2015-2019	90.1%2020-2024	+6.4 points	Within the margin of error	40%
Child poverty rate	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	42%
Effective property tax rate	0.84%2015-2019	0.74%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	36%
High school diploma or higher	98.0%2015-2019	95.4%2020-2024	−2.6 points	Within the margin of error	12%
Home price to income ratio	4.2×2015-2019	5.3×2020-2024	+1.1×	Declined	17%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4022015-2019	0.4372020-2024	+0.036	Within the margin of error	23%
Median household income	$66,3442015-2019	$78,4042020-2024	+18%	Improved	29%
Poverty rate	2.5%2015-2019	5.6%2020-2024	+3.1 points	Declined	20%
Rent-burdened households	63.4%2015-2019	79.1%2020-2024	+16 points	Within the margin of error	13%
Unemployment rate	8.6%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	−8.6 points	Improved	99%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Plantation (CDP), Florida five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Plantation (CDP), Florida in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Plantation (CDP), Florida itself moved −10.1 points in standing on average over the same 9 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

4,531 residents (±494)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

2,606 households (±243)

Plantation (CDP), Florida
Florida share

Under $25k14%†375
$25k–50k11%†275
$50k–75k

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

2,606 households (±243)

Plantation (CDP), Florida
Florida share

Own90%2,351
Rent9.8%†255

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

970 workers (±231)

Plantation (CDP), Florida
Florida share

Drive alone67%646
Carpool1.3%†13
Public transit1.2%†12

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Sarasota County, the county holding most of Plantation's residents.

Sarasota County has 15,989 employer establishments, 339 for every 10,000 residents (1.36× the US rate of 248; 1.20× Florida's), with 162,310 paid employees at an average annual pay of $55,765. The Census Bureau also counts 59,161 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 15,989; 59,161 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 339; US 248 · Florida 282
Paid employees: 162,310
Average annual pay: $55,765; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Sarasota County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	1,534	32.5	1.56×More than typical	13,227	$71,914	3,189
Specialty trade contractors	1,474	31.2	2.02×More than typical	11,412	$58,458	3,655
Lessors of real estate	1,290	27.3	2.22×More than typical	3,452	$61,495	8,557
Restaurants and other eating places	907	19.2	1.05×About typical	19,874	$27,421	221
Services to buildings and dwellings	808	17.1	2.54×More than typical	4,678	$38,330	4,224
Real estate agents and brokers	771	16.3	3.35×More than typical	1,198	$68,587	3,084
Management, scientific and technical consulting	610	12.9	1.93×More than typical	2,212	$90,764	2,815
Construction of buildings	581	12.3	1.63×More than typical	2,986	$78,961	2,080
Offices of physicians	539	11.4	1.76×More than typical	4,957	$102,338	621
Full-service restaurants	516	10.9	1.42×More than typical	13,433	$30,996	101
Offices of other health practitioners	506	10.7	1.76×More than typical	2,125	$49,992	1,279
Building finishing contractors	490	10.4	2.73×More than typical	1,947	$47,770	1,494

Rank places for an industry Open Sarasota County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 472,211 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $0 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Plantation (CDP), Florida: $0 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $0; −100% vs FY2025
Per resident: $0; US $1,994
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

27.6KFY2017
2KFY2018
-5.2KFY2019
15.6KFY2020
13.1KFY2021
-1.9KFY2022
16.4KFY2023
14.4KFY2024
16.2KFY2025

What was bought

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Plantation (CDP), Florida, so they do not add up across cities.

Plantation (CDP), Florida's figures are part of those of Sarasota County, FL ($131.7M in FY2026), never added to them: 0.0% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Plantation is mostly in Sarasota County.

See federal money in Sarasota County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Plantation (CDP), Florida is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

W. Gregory SteubeR-FL-17 · 100% of residentsWith party 98%Missed 3.1%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Sarasota County87100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL77

Other cities and towns in Sarasota County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/1257450

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends