“Sarasota is No. 1 thanks to top-notch cultural offerings, rare gardens, circus lore and spectacular beaches.” — CNN
It’s not a surprise to those of us who have spent years watching this city quietly become one of the most desirable addresses in the country. But it’s gratifying all the same: CNN has named Sarasota the best town in America for 2026.
The rest of the country is taking notice of where we’ve been living for years.
CNN cited the usual measures: quality of life, arts and culture, natural beauty, dining, walkability and the kind of year-round liveability that other Florida markets strive to replicate. Sarasota scored at or near the top across categories, with particular recognition for its performing arts scene — one of the most robust of any American city its size — and for the character of its neighborhoods, from the historic bayfront to the understated elegance of Osprey and Casey Key.
What the rankings can’t fully capture is the texture of life here. The way the light moves on Sarasota Bay from sunrise to sunset. The ease of transition between a world-class museum and a barrier island beach. The fact that SRQ International is fifteen minutes from nearly everywhere.
For buyers who have been watching this market, the CNN recognition is worth noting. Sarasota was already drawing significant interest from buyers relocating from the Northeast, Midwest and international markets. Inventory at the upper end of the market remains selective. Properties that are priced and presented correctly are not sitting.
What changes with a designation like this is the size of the buyer set — more buyers become aware, and the window for unhurried decision-making narrows accordingly. That’s not a reason to move hastily. It is a reason to be informed.
The Laughlin Tanner Group is a leader in Sarasota luxury real estate. We know which neighborhoods are absorbing attention first, which residence types are in shortest supply, and where the value relative to comparable coastal markets remains genuinely exceptional. If you’ve been considering Sarasota — or reconsidering it — this is worth the conversation.
Sarasota has always been quietly exceptional. Now the rest of the country is catching up.
