The Town FilesThe Meadows, Florida
Community in Sarasota County · population 5,037 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $382,400
- Household income
- $69,774
- Jan low / Jul high
- 52° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 75
- Median age
- 72.8
The Meadows is a community of 5,037 people in Sarasota County, Florida. The median home is worth $382,400, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 99% of Florida towns, hipper than 97% of Florida towns, better for retirees than 94% of Florida towns.
- #6 in The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Florida
- #13 in The 50 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in America
- #15 in The 50 Best Places for First-Time Home Buyers in America
- #23 in The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Florida
- #35 in The 50 Most Tornado-Prone Small Towns in America
How The Meadows 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.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in The Meadows is worth $382,400, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 5.5 times the median household income of $69,774, which is more affordable than 25% of Florida towns. Median rent is $1,740 a month. 78.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | The Meadows | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $382,400 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $1,740 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $69,774 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.5× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 78.7% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 15.0% | — |
Who lives in The Meadows
| People | The Meadows | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 72.8 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 70.3% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 3.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.7% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.9% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 12.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.4% | — |
| Work from home | 32.3% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 23.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.0% | 92.4% |
Weather in The Meadows
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.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
75 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of The Meadows since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on January 17, 2016 about 7.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 11, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 21, 1999.
Severe weather in Sarasota County since 1996
Sarasota County has been included in 48 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 11, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4834: Hurricane Milton |
| October 7, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3622: Hurricane Milton |
| September 28, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4828: Hurricane Helene |
| September 24, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3615: Tropical Storm Helene |
| August 10, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-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 The Meadows itself the ACS puts it at 0.9%.
Towns near The Meadows
- Kensington Park, FL1.3 mi · 3,697 people · home $328,600
- Fruitville, FL2.3 mi · 15,484 people · home $412,500
- Sarasota Springs, FL3.7 mi · 12,521 people · home $349,100
- Sarasota, FL4.6 mi · 54,842 people · home $463,000
- Southgate, FL4.6 mi · 6,287 people · home $422,000
- Lake Sarasota, FL5.4 mi · 3,979 people · home $381,000
- Bee Ridge, FL5.4 mi · 9,955 people · home $412,400
- South Gate Ridge, FL5.6 mi · 6,024 people · home $444,800
The Meadows questions
Is The Meadows, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, The Meadows scores better for retirees than 94% of Florida towns and quieter than 75%. 70.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 72.8).
How much does a house cost in The Meadows?
The median owner-occupied home in The Meadows is valued at $382,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,774, so homes cost about 5.5 times income. Median rent is $1,740 a month.
What is the weather like in The Meadows?
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 The Meadows get tornadoes?
75 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of The Meadows since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on January 17, 2016. The typical Florida town has had 35.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)