$939,373Average Value$406Average Price per Sq Ft14Homes For Sale
Old Miakka offers rural old-world Florida living, upcoming development
About 18 miles from the booming development of Lakewood Ranch, Old Miakka is rural, old-world Florida through and through. Full of sprawling farmland and narrow two-lane roads, there’s not a traffic light in sight. “When you go out to Miakka, there’s canopy roads with these beautiful oak trees, and the moss is just hanging off of them,” says Sharon Klein, a Realtor at Fine Properties who has lived and sold in the area for 20 years, adding that some of the smaller roads are made of dirt and shells. “People love taking these Sunday drives, and you hear the crackle of the shell under the tires. … There’s no gas station, there’s no restaurants, there’s none of that. It’s just two-lane roads, with pine trees and oak trees and moss.” Although there are often several acres between neighbors, Klein says it’s still the kind of place where residents know who their neighbors are, and some residents’ families have lived here for generations.
With Lakewood Ranch nearby, developers have been buying agricultural land and diving it into half-acre lots. It’s a trend of growth that not all residents appreciate, especially those who have lived in Old Miakka for a long time. Signs reading “Keep the county country” pop up along roads here and there, expressing some locals’ goal of maintaining a rural atmosphere.
Horseback riding and Myakka River State Park
With so much farmland and undeveloped land, as well as several stables that board, train or breed horses, or teach lessons and run trail rides, Old Miakka is solidly in horse country. Many residents own horses, including Klein. She says there are “miles and miles” of horse trails in the area, and from her neighborhood, “we can literally go out to our barn, tack up our horse and go.” One of the many places residents can ride their horses is Myakka River State Park, which is one of the largest parks in Florida. Covering over 37,000 acres, the park has 12 miles of designated horseback riding trails as well as nearly 39 miles of hiking trails and a special boardwalk called The Birdwalk through the wetlands that’s especially popular among birders and other wildlife lovers. The park allows camping, and residents can fish and kayak on the river. Florida’s wet and dry seasons change the strength of the river’s currents and its water level, so residents need to pay attention to its condition before heading out. There are dozens of golf courses toward the coast, with the closest about 10 miles away, and Siesta Key Beach is about 25 miles away.
Extensive acreage with room for horses, livestock or planes
Although houses in Old Miakka vary greatly in style, from ranch-style homes and simple bi-levels to new traditionals, they have one thing in common: land. Most sit on at least 5 acres, but 10 acres or more is just as common. Klein says there are still some properties that stretch across 100 acres or more — even a few 500-acre properties, though she says these larger tracts of land are getting rarer. Given all this space, many properties have pastures and outbuildings like barns for horses or other livestock. In the section of Old Miakka around the Hidden River Airport, Klein says, many homes have private hangars for small planes — and these planes take off from home. “The planes are allowed to taxi down the road,” Klein says, explaining that it’s normal to be driving and see a plane taxiing along, preparing for takeoff. “It’s good for people who have their pilot’s license and want to be able to fly in and out.”
Old Miakka’s houses vary greatly in price based on many factors — not just the size and condition of the home itself, but how much land it sits on and the condition of any outbuildings or fencing. Fixer-uppers that need a lot of updating can dip as low as $650,000, but most homes that need cosmetic work start closer to $750,000. Estates with extensive acreage can sell for $3 million.
Dedication to the arts at Booker High
Niche gives Sarasota County Schools an A and rates it as the second-best school district in Florida. Children in Old Miakka attend schools like Tatum Ridge Elementary School, which has an A-minus, and McIntosh Middle School, which has a B-plus. Booker High School has an A-minus, and Niche lists it among the top 10 high schools for the arts in Florida. In 2024, its theater, which has two performance spaces, received a multi-million-dollar renovation, and the program prides itself on providing pre-professional instruction in fields like dance, animation, music and theater. Graduates of the program include an Oscar-winning makeup artist, an American Idol finalist and an actor on the television series "Chicago Fire."
Driving to Lakewood Ranch for shopping and dining
Old Miakka truly exemplifies country living — and that means that essentials are often a bit of a drive. Publix and Detwiler’s Farm Market, which offers fresh produce, are the closest grocery stores at about 14 miles from home. More shopping and dining options are located about 18 miles away in Lakewood Ranch. The area’s University Town Center is particularly popular for retailers like Target, Petco and Old Navy. It also has a mixture of chain and local restaurants, making the area a go-to spot for a day of shopping or a dinner out. “Anything you could possibly think of, it’s there,” Klein says. “The proximity to that Lakewood Ranch area is what is so key for Old Miakka.”
Following Fruitville Road to downtown Sarasota
Narrow two-lane roads, often without painted lines and sometimes not even paved, make up almost all of Old Miakka’s streets. Fruitville Road is its biggest thoroughfare — a two-lane road with double-yellow lines that leads into downtown Sarasota about 18 miles away. The nearest hospital, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, is a 15-mile drive. “Miakka is really a cool location because you can be in the country and have a private estate home, and if you’re a working professional or attorney or doctor who has to be to the hospital or downtown quickly, it’s like a half hour away,” Klein says.
Professional equestrian events and the Sarasota Medieval Fair
Solidifying its status as horse country, Old Miakka sits near TerraNova Equestrian Center, which hosts national and international equestrian competitions in dressage, hunter/jumper and even combined driving. Klein calls it a world-class equestrian center, noting stables there have grand chandeliers and cobblestone floors. “It’s kind of like a little Ocala,” she says. The Sarasota Medieval Fair is also held just outside Old Miakka every fall, offering jousting and human combat chess shows, falconry, martial arts demonstrations and live music.
High winds during hurricane season and a low CAP Index
During hurricane season, this inland community has a minor risk of flooding and an extreme risk of high winds. Its CAP Index Crime Score is 1 out of 10, lower than the national average of 4.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Christy Walters,
an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Transit
Airport
Sarasota/Bradenton International
40 min drive
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Old Miakka
US
Homicide
1
4
Sexual Assault
1
4
Assault with Weapon
1
4
Robbery
1
4
Burglary
1
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
1
4
Larceny
1
4
Crime Score
1
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Old Miakka, Sarasota sell after 85 days on the market compared to the national average of 47 days. The average sale price for homes in Old Miakka, Sarasota over the last 12 months is $1,055,363, up 6% from the average home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Christy Walters,
an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Owners
Demographics
Total Population
1,597
Median Age
47
Population under 18
22.4%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
22.4%
On par with the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$104,339
Significantly above the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$115,872
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
94.8%
College Graduates
44.2%
Above the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
16.2%
% Population in Labor Force
55.9%
Below the national average
65.1%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
56''
Average Winter Low Temperature
53°F
Average Summer High Temperature
92°F
Annual Snowfall
0''
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
25/ 100
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
0/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
