Lakewood Ranch Community Spotlight
Knowledge Center

Lakewood Ranch Community Spotlight

America's top-selling master-planned community, spanning Manatee and Sarasota counties.

Lakewood Ranch location pin on a West Central Florida satellite map
Lakewood Ranch · Manatee / Sarasota · West Central Florida

At a Glance

A 33,000+ acre master-planned community east of I-75 spanning Manatee and Sarasota counties, with dozens of villages, top-rated schools, parks, and Main Street town centers.

5-Year Growth
~10.1k homes built (20202024)
+26.4%family households moved in

Did You Know?

Lakewood Ranch has ranked as the #1 best-selling multigenerational master-planned community in the U.S. for several consecutive years (RCLCO).

What Stands Out

True walkable town centers (Lakewood Ranch Main Street, Waterside Place), more than 150 miles of trails, polo, golf, and a school footprint built into the master plan.

Fun Spots

  • Waterside Place (Sarasota side)
  • Lakewood Ranch Main Street
  • Premier Sports Campus
  • Sarasota Polo Club
  • Nathan Benderson Park (rowing)

Distance to Key Spots

  • Downtown Sarasota — 25 min
  • UTC / Mall at University Town Center — 10 min
  • Sarasota–Bradenton (SRQ) — 20 min
  • Siesta Key Beach — 35 min
  • Tampa International (TPA) — 55 min
Lakewood Ranch satellite map

Theme Park Distances

  • Walt Disney World — 1 hr 35 min
  • Universal Studios Orlando — 1 hr 45 min
  • SeaWorld Orlando — 1 hr 40 min
  • Busch Gardens Tampa — 1 hr
  • LEGOLAND Florida — 1 hr 10 min

Popular Restaurants

  • Grove Restaurant
  • Libby's Neighborhood Brasserie (Waterside)
  • Polo Grill
  • Ed's Tavern
  • MacAllister's Grill & Tavern

Airports

  • Sarasota–Bradenton (SRQ) — 20 min
  • St. Pete–Clearwater (PIE) — 55 min
  • Tampa International (TPA) — 55 min

Medical

Lakewood Ranch Medical Center inside the community; Manatee Memorial and Sarasota Memorial nearby.

Schools & Education

Highly rated public schools (Lakewood Ranch HS, Out-of-Door Academy nearby) plus several charter and IB-track options.

Growth

Active villages still selling — Star Farms, Esplanade, Cresswind, Waterside Lakefront — with thousands of homes still in the pipeline.

Helpful Local Links

Realtor Tip

CDD fees and HOA structures vary widely by village — always pull the specific CDD/HOA disclosure for that village before quoting monthly carrying costs.

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