The Town Files

Southgate, Florida

Community in Sarasota County · population 6,287 (2020 Census)

Map: where Southgate is in FloridaSouthgate
Median home
$422,000
Household income
$80,133
Jan low / Jul high
52° / 91°
Snow a year
0 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
53
Median age
51.7

Southgate is a community of 6,287 people in Sarasota County, Florida. The median home is worth $422,000, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks hipper than 94% of Florida towns, better for retirees than 80% of Florida towns, more walkable than 76% of Florida towns.

How Southgate ranks

Percentile among Florida towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Florida towns.

Southgate lifestyle rankings vs other Florida townsRetirement80th pctFamilies36th pctQuiet52nd pctWalkability76th pctFirst-time buyers59th pctYoung professionals65th pctVibrancy67th pctHip & trendy94th pctCollege town35th pctUpscale71st pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling72nd pctTransit67th pctDriving68th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Southgate is worth $422,000, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 5.3 times the median household income of $80,133, which is more affordable than 30% of Florida towns. Median rent is $1,671 a month. 71.5% of households own their home.

Southgate vs Sarasota County vs typical Florida townSouthgateSarasota CountyTypical Florida townHome value$422,000$411,800$331,600Household income$80,133$83,416$71,140Monthly rent$1,671$1,818$1,569
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Florida towns with 500+ people.
HousingSouthgateTypical Florida town
Median home value$422,000$331,600
Median rent$1,671$1,569
Median household income$80,133$71,140
Home value ÷ income5.3×4.5×
Homeownership71.5%73.5%
Median year built19641985
Seasonal / vacation homes6.8%—

Who lives in Southgate

PeopleSouthgateTypical Florida town
Median age51.742.8
Age 65 and over28.0%20.2%
Under 1816.0%—
Bachelor's degree or higher45.7%28.8%
Below the poverty line4.8%11.3%
Veterans7.5%—
Born outside the U.S.9.8%—
Work from home11.4%13.5%
Average commute23.9 min27.5 min
Homes with broadband92.4%92.4%

Weather in Southgate

July highs average 91.1°F and January lows 52.3°F. About 49.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 85 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 1 nights at or below freezing.

Southgate monthly temperatures and precipitation50°60°70°80°90°100°73°52°Jan75°55°Feb78°58°Mar83°63°Apr88°68°May90°74°Jun91°75°Jul92°75°Aug90°74°Sep86°68°Oct80°60°Nov75°55°DecPrecipitation (in)2.81.92.92.52.67.07.49.16.02.81.82.3
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Sarasota Bradenton Ap station (7.3 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

53 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Southgate since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on January 17, 2016 about 2.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 11, 2023.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Southgate by decade41950s21960s171970s41980s141990s52000s32010s42020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 21, 1999.

Severe weather in Sarasota County since 1996

Storm events in Sarasota County since 1996 by typeHail29Flood34Tornado30Wildfire8Lightning27Heavy Rain11Waterspout11Flash Flood10
NOAA Storm Events Database, Sarasota County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 15 deaths recorded.

Sarasota County has been included in 48 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
October 11, 2024HurricaneDR-4834: Hurricane Milton
October 7, 2024HurricaneEM-3622: Hurricane Milton
September 28, 2024HurricaneDR-4828: Hurricane Helene
September 24, 2024Tropical StormEM-3615: Tropical Storm Helene
August 10, 2024Tropical StormDR-4806: Hurricane Debby

Jobs and pay in Sarasota County

Sarasota County had 190,078 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $65,133 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Southgate itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.

Largest industries in Sarasota CountyHealth care & social assistan…36,752 jobs · $67,214Retail24,927 jobs · $43,604Hotels & restaurants21,788 jobs · $33,490Construction18,479 jobs · $68,459Professional & technical serv…13,403 jobs · $101,488Administrative & support11,271 jobs · $55,151
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Sarasota County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Sarasota 3%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Southgate

Southgate questions

Is Southgate, Florida a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Southgate scores better for retirees than 80% of Florida towns and quieter than 52%. 28.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.7).

How much does a house cost in Southgate?

The median owner-occupied home in Southgate is valued at $422,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,133, so homes cost about 5.3 times income. Median rent is $1,671 a month.

What is the weather like in Southgate?

July highs average 91.1°F and January lows 52.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.

Does Southgate get tornadoes?

53 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Southgate since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on January 17, 2016. The typical Florida town has had 35.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Southgate's Census boundary (GEOID 1267425). Comparisons use the median of Florida towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-12.