Longboat Key is a roughly 12-mile barrier island (ZIP 34228) between Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, split between two counties: about 65% of the island sits in Sarasota County to the south, and the remaining 35% sits in Manatee County to the north. It connects south to Lido Key and St. Armands Circle via New Pass and north to Anna Maria Island via Longboat Pass. Compared to its more commercial neighbors, Longboat Key is deliberately quiet: there's no real downtown strip, low-density zoning keeps development spread out, and the island's roughly 7,500 year-round residents share it with a much larger seasonal population that arrives each winter.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, florida-demographics.com
Is Longboat Key expensive? Yes, among the most expensive addresses on Florida's Gulf Coast. The median sale price reached roughly $1.1 million as of mid-2026, up over 14% year-over-year, and median condo prices sit around $1.05 million, with established buildings like L'Ambiance, Grand Bay, and The Sanctuary ranging anywhere from $600,000 to well over $2 million depending on floor and view.
Is Longboat Key quiet? Very, by design. There's no commercial downtown on the island itself; low-density zoning and height restrictions have kept it from developing the high-rise skyline seen in downtown Sarasota, and most shopping and nightlife happen a short drive away at St. Armands Circle instead.
Which county is Longboat Key in? Both. The island is split between Sarasota County (south, roughly 65%) and Manatee County (north, roughly 35%), governed as a single town but taxed and zoned through two separate county systems depending on address.
What's the golf and tennis scene like? Anchored by the Resort at Longboat Key Club, which offers 45 holes of championship golf along with a full tennis program, one of the more significant private club amenities on the Gulf Coast.
Location | Barrier island between Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico |
Length | Approximately 12 miles |
ZIP Code | 34228 |
County Split | ~65% Sarasota County (south) · ~35% Manatee County (north) |
Bridge Access | New Pass (south, to Lido Key/St. Armands) · Longboat Pass (north, to Anna Maria Island) |
Signature Amenity | Resort at Longboat Key Club (45 holes of golf) |
Life here is defined by what the island deliberately doesn't have: no commercial strip, no high-rise entertainment district, no traffic-heavy tourist core. What it does have is a long, uninterrupted stretch of Gulf beach, low-rise and mid-rise condo buildings set among mature landscaping, and a resident base that skews heavily toward retirees and seasonal owners, reflected in a median age north of 71. Boating culture runs deep, with easy bay access and Beer Can Island (Greer Island) at the north tip serving as an informal boater's sandbar hangout.
For dining, shopping, and a more social scene, residents typically head south across New Pass to St. Armands Circle, a roughly 100-store and restaurant district that functions as Longboat Key's unofficial downtown without being on the island itself. That tradeoff, quiet and private at home, lively options a short drive away, is central to the island's appeal.
Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant and Pub — An island institution dating to the early 1900s, serving waterfront seafood and pub fare steps from its own private beach on the bay side.
Euphemia Haye — A Longboat Key tradition since 1975, known island-wide for its desserts, with The Haye Loft lounge upstairs for a quieter after-dinner drink.
Shoppes of Bay Isles — A nearly 50,000-square-foot Publix on the island's north end, unusually large for the format, with a hot bar, wok station, and wine-chilling station alongside standard grocery shopping.
With a median age over 71 and very few households raising children, schools are rarely a driving factor for Longboat Key buyers. The island itself has no public schools; families with children typically look to zoned options on the adjacent Sarasota or Bradenton mainland, including the same Sarasota County and Manatee County school systems that serve St. Armands and downtown Sarasota.
Longboat Key's market is dominated by condominiums rather than single-family homes, and pricing runs consistently among the highest on the Gulf Coast. As of mid-2026, the median sale price sits around $1.1 million, up more than 14% from a year earlier, while median condo prices run close to $1.05 million with individual buildings varying widely, from around $600,000 in older complexes to well over $2 million in premier buildings like L'Ambiance and Grand Bay.
Average time on market has stretched to around 82 days in 2026, and inventory has been building, a sign the market is moderating somewhat after several years of rapid appreciation. For buyers, that means more selection and negotiating room than in recent years; for sellers, it means accurate, building-specific pricing matters more than a single islandwide number.
What is the ZIP code for Longboat Key, FL? 34228.
What is Longboat Key known for? Its quiet, low-density character relative to Sarasota's other barrier islands, championship golf and tennis at the Longboat Key Club, and a long, largely uninterrupted stretch of Gulf beach.
Is Longboat Key part of Sarasota or Bradenton? Neither exactly. It's its own incorporated town, split between Sarasota County to the south and Manatee County (Bradenton's county) to the north, with St. Armands Circle and downtown Sarasota the closer social and shopping hubs.
Is Longboat Key a good place to retire? Yes, it's one of the area's most popular retirement destinations, with a median age over 71, low-key island living, and resort-style amenities that don't require leaving the island for golf, tennis, or waterfront dining.
7,512 people live in Longboat Key, where the median age is 71.5 and the average individual income is $138,251. Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Total Population
Median Age
Population Density
Average individual Income
There's plenty to do around Longboat Key, including shopping, dining, nightlife, parks, and more. Data provided by Walk Score and Yelp.
Explore popular things to do in the area, including Denisaguttmanllc, Poseidon Restaurant, and Longboat Package.
| Name | Category | Distance | Reviews |
Ratings by
Yelp
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dining | 2.37 miles | 0 reviews | 0/5 stars | |
| Dining | 3.25 miles | 1 review | 1/5 stars | |
| Dining | 4.18 miles | 0 reviews | 0/5 stars | |
| Shopping | 0.4 miles | 0 reviews | 0/5 stars | |
| Shopping | 1.87 miles | 0 reviews | 0/5 stars | |
| Shopping | 3.09 miles | 0 reviews | 0/5 stars | |
| Active | 0.4 miles | 0 reviews | 0/5 stars | |
| Active | 1.7 miles | 6 reviews | 5/5 stars | |
| Active | 1.92 miles | 5 reviews | 4/5 stars | |
| Active | 3.25 miles | 0 reviews | 0/5 stars | |
| Nightlife | 0.98 miles | 0 reviews | 0/5 stars | |
|
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
|
Longboat Key has 4,172 households, with an average household size of 1.8. Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. Here’s what the people living in Longboat Key do for work — and how long it takes them to get there. Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. 7,512 people call Longboat Key home. The population density is 1,842 and the largest age group is Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Total Population
Population Density Population Density This is the number of people per square mile in a neighborhood.
Median Age
Men vs Women
Population by Age Group
0-9 Years
10-17 Years
18-24 Years
25-64 Years
65-74 Years
75+ Years
Education Level
Total Households
Average Household Size
Average individual Income
Households with Children
With Children:
Without Children:
Blue vs White Collar Workers
Blue Collar:
White Collar:
5100 Ocean Blvd Siesta Key FL 34242
Smart Moves in Sarasota Real Estate Start Here
5100 Ocean Blvd Siesta Key FL 34242
Smart Moves in Sarasota Real Estate Start Here
