Median Income
$98,923
household / year
Median Home Value
$515,400
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,810
gross / month
Cost of Living
104
national avg = 100

Is Palmer Ranch, FL a Good Place to Live?

Palmer Ranch is a small city of 15,278 in Florida, with a median household income of $98,923 and a 3.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.

Strengths: Palmer Ranch stands out for solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Palmer Ranch is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Palmer Ranch city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 103.6

Palmer Ranch's overall cost of living index is 103.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Palmer Ranch costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.

Metric Palmer Ranch, FL National Avg
Median Home Value $515,400 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,810 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 73.3% 65.9%
Median Household Income $98,923 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Palmer Ranch's violent crime rate is 141.8 per 100,000 residents — 63% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
141.8 /100k
Property Crime
901.0 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Palmer Ranch is served primarily by SARASOTA. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Palmer Ranch, FL National Avg
School District SARASOTA —
Elementary Schools 31 —
Middle Schools 11 —
High Schools 11 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 15.9:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 53.3% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 99.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Palmer Ranch sees average highs of 72.4°F in January and 91.5°F in July, with 53.5 inches of annual precipitation .

MetricPalmer Ranch, FL
Average High — January72.4°F
Average High — July91.5°F
Annual Precipitation53.5"
Annual SnowfallTrace / None

Demographics

MetricPalmer Ranch, FLNational Avg
Population15,278—
Median Age66.038.9
Unemployment Rate3.8%3.7%
Avg Commute Time26.0 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)90.2%59.3%
Black or African American3.4%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino4.7%18.9%
Asian1.0%6.3%
Under 189.0%22.2%
65 and over52.0%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Palmer Ranch

Palmer Ranch, FL is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Palmer Ranch vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Palmer Ranch's cost of living index is 104, where 100 is the national average. That puts Palmer Ranch roughly 4% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $515,400 and median rent is $1,810/month.
Palmer Ranch's violent crime rate is 141.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 901.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Palmer Ranch are operated by SARASOTA. The district has 31 elementary, 11 middle, and 11 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.9:1. 53.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Palmer Ranch, FL has a population of 15,278, a median household income of $98,923, and an unemployment rate of 3.8%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Palmer Ranch averages 72.4°F in January and 91.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 53.5 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Palmer Ranch, FL is covered by 1 ZIP code: 34238.
The population of Palmer Ranch, Florida is 15,278 with a median age of 66.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Palmer Ranch: cost of living index 104 (100 = US average), median home $515,400, median household income $98,923, crime index 40 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Palmer Ranch side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.