Sarasota County, Florida: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to North Port, Sarasota and Venice
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Sarasota County. Sarasota County is home to North Port, Sarasota, Venice and most of Longboat Key (4,634 of its 7,359 residents). Construction employs 18,823, up 30.1% since 2019, and construction is 1.8 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “12-month hyperscale data center moratorium”. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including XF Group Sarasota County Hyperscale Data Center Freeze. Electrical contractors employ 1,522, up 31.3% since 2019 against up 16.3% statewide, at an average $64,429 a year.
Cities and towns in Sarasota County
Sarasota County is home to North Port, Sarasota, Venice and most of Longboat Key (4,634 of its 7,359 residents).
- Longboat Key also extends into Manatee County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bee Ridge, Desoto Acres, Desoto Lakes, Englewood, Fruitville, Gulf Gate, Kensington Park, Lake Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch, Laurel, Nokomis, North Sarasota, Old Miakka, Osprey, Palmer Ranch, Pinecraft, Plantation, Ridge Wood Heights, Sarasota Springs, Siesta Key, South Gate Ridge, South Sarasota, South Venice, Southgate, The Meadows, Vamo, Venice Gardens, Warm Mineral Springs.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Sarasota County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Florida |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 436,262 | 479,958 | ▲ 10.0% | 15th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 172,211 | 194,499 | ▲ 12.9% | 19th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $47,750 | $67,603 | ▲ 41.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 14,473 | 18,823 | ▲ 30.1% | 14th of 59 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,159 | 1,522 | ▲ 31.3% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 76 | 256 | ▲ 236.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.3% | 5.0% | ▲ 1.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 5.0% in August 2026, against 3.3% in 2019. Employers here counted 194,499 jobs in 2025, up 12.9% from 2019. 2 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly other technologies. Its power plants have 6 MW of capacity, 100% of it other technologies. 479,958 people live here, up 10.0% since 2020. Florida Power & Light Co is the largest utility serving Sarasota County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.71¢/kWh in 2024.
Who powers Sarasota County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Sarasota County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Power & Light Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 5,236,277 | 13.71¢ | 41% |
| Peace River Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 57,589 | 12.35¢ | 31% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 6 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarasota County LFGTE Facility | Landfill Energy Systems Florida | Other technologies | 6 MW | 2015 |
The Sarasota County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 194,499 | $67,603 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 18,823 | $74,559 | 1.83 |
| Electrical contractors | 1,522 | $64,429 | 1.09 |
| Power and communication line construction | 117 | $84,846 | 0.37 |
| Data processing and hosting | 256 | $110,634 | 0.42 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Sarasota County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12-month hyperscale data center moratorium | In force | 2026-07 |
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XF Group Sarasota County Hyperscale Data Center Freeze | moratorium in force | — |
Sarasota County and its neighbors
Of the 3 counties that border Sarasota County, Manatee County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarasota County | 479,958 | ▲ 12.9% | 6 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Charlotte County | 217,212 | ▲ 17.4% | 236 MW | — | — | — |
| DeSoto County | 37,078 | ▲ 6.1% | 625 MW | 149 MW | 1 | 1 |
| Manatee County | 468,200 | ▲ 11.9% | 4,152 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of Florida
Sarasota County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Sarasota County, Florida?
2 utilities have service territory in Sarasota County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Florida Power & Light Co, Peace River Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Florida Power & Light Co, charged residential customers 13.71¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is North Port, FL in?
North Port is in Sarasota County, Florida. About 96,551 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Sarasota, FL in?
Sarasota is in Sarasota County, Florida. About 58,458 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Venice, FL in?
Venice is in Sarasota County, Florida. About 30,477 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Sarasota County?
1 operating plant with 6 MW of capacity. The largest is Sarasota County LFGTE Facility (6 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Sarasota County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Sarasota County. The nearest activity on record is next door in DeSoto County.
Is Sarasota County adding jobs?
Employers counted 194,499 jobs in 2025 against 172,211 in 2019 (+12.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 14,473 to 18,823.
Does Sarasota County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Sarasota County, 1 in force.