The area that became Fruitville, Florida, was initially established to grow oranges and celery. It started developing in the 1870s and even had an airfield during World War One. Since the 1960s, Fruitville has steadily evolved from a farming area into a community of over 15,000 people and acts as a corridor into downtown Sarasota.
The median price for homes in Fruitville is $450,000, higher than Florida’s median. Homes in the area range from ranch and craftsman-style to new traditional and Mediterranean revivals. “It’s less expensive than western Sarasota,” says Joe Cleary, an associate at Re/MAX Alliance Group. Cleary says the inland areas tend to offer newer homes and larger parcels with fewer HOAs.
Fruitville students attend Sarasota County Schools, which has an A grade and has been rated the second-best school district in the state by Niche. Adjacent to Fruitville is Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School, which has an A-plus rating on Niche. Most colleges are in Sarasota, including the New College of Florida, and has a B-plus score.
Fruitville Park has multiple amenities, including a pickleball court, playground, and a soccer field. The 17th Street Park, located in the north of Fruitville, has multiple softball fields and a dog park. Nearby is the Bobby Jones Golf Course, which features a 27-hole layout and was renovated in 2022. The area is also close to some of Sarasota’s natural attractions, such as Celery Fields, a flood mitigation zone with trails ideal for birdwatching. Also nearby is the Big Cat Habitat, which has multiple exotic animals on display, including tigers, panthers and elephants. Sarasota’s various beach attractions are 9 miles to the west of Fruitville.
Most of the area’s dining and shopping options are along Fruitville Road, which has a mix of chain and local restaurants. Kacey’s Seafood serves a variety of fish options along with sandwiches and burgers. Rodizio Grill is a Brazilian steakhouse that serves rotisserie-grilled meats tableside. Fruitville Road has several big-box retailers, such as Sam’s Club, Target and Lowe’s Home Improvement, as well as smaller shopping plazas. Lakewood Ranch Medical Center has an emergency room on the road, and the area also has several urgent care clinics and doctors’ offices.
Breeze Transit provides bus service to the area, connecting to downtown Sarasota and other lines throughout the county. The closest airport to Fruitville is Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, which has a wide selection of domestic connections. Fruitville Road also connects to Interstate 75, which links the area to major cities such as Tampa and Miami, while downtown Sarasota is 5 miles to the west. Sarasota County is susceptible to hurricanes, with three major storms impacting the western coast in 2024. However, Cleary said that “the Fruitville area is high and dry” and experiences less storm impact than the coastal areas. Sarasota County also provides an alert system for emergency updates.
According to the latest data from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, property crime rates in the county have stayed level while decreasing by over 3%.
Dawn Bear
WILLIAM RAVEIS REAL ESTATE
(941) 499-8729
116 Total Sales
1 in Fruitville
$545,000 Price
Melissa Watrobsky
COLDWELL BANKER REALTY
(941) 213-7774
60 Total Sales
3 in Fruitville
$347K - $675K Price Range
Albert Wooster
ALBERT WOOSTER & COMPANY
(941) 270-8553
76 Total Sales
2 in Fruitville
$295K - $305K Price Range
America Diaz
AMERICA'S BEST REALTY CORP
(786) 613-4743
192 Total Sales
1 in Fruitville
$451,600 Price
Mugsie Quinlan
PREMIER PROPERTIES OF SRQ LLC
(941) 256-2366
137 Total Sales
1 in Fruitville
$459,000 Price
Kathleen Comerford
EXP REALTY LLC
(941) 271-0259
135 Total Sales
1 in Fruitville
$899,000 Price