Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Palmetto is a solid, middle-of-the-road choice. It grades C overall, 392nd among Florida's 634 graded towns, with no subject far below average. Its best mark is incomes: the median household earns $63K. Expect to pay for it: homes are expensive, about $350K for a typical one and 4.3 times the North Port metro’s $81K median household income. 30% of residents are 65 or older in Palmetto, above both Florida’s towns (20%) and U.S. towns (18%). Palmetto is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 86% of U.S. towns. Only 59 of Florida’s 779 towns score higher on history.
Where Palmetto beats most towns.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Florida), ordered by how far Palmetto is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 224 in 1890, 13,323 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1850 and 3 maps from 1944 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Palmetto. Close and well known come first.
Big draw18 mi Stadium & arenaTropicana Field
9 mi BeachAnna Maria Island
Big draw32 mi Stadium & arenaRaymond James Stadium
30 mi Stadium & arenaBenchmark International Arena
10 mi MuseumJohn and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
37 mi Theme parkBusch Gardens Tampa4.0M visitors a yearTropicana Field: EaglesFanInTampa, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Anna Maria Island: Bfpage at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0 · Raymond James Stadium: NASA, Public domain · Benchmark International Arena: Miosotis Jade, CC BY-SA 4.0 · John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art: Taty2007, CC BY 3.0 · Busch Gardens Tampa: Wolle8ball, CC BY 3.0
Who provides power, water and the rest in Palmetto, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 17, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Palmetto.
Palmetto is a second-home town, has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns and is healthier than towns with similar incomes.
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 83% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 332 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Palmetto.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Its public schools are run by the Manatee school district. Three of its 10 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Palmetto High School, with 2,185 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hola! Elementary @ MsaLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 551 | – |
| Palmetto High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 8–12 | Grades 8–12 | 2,185 | C− |
| Palmetto Charter SchoolTop results in townGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 458 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within FL on state tests and graduation
21.2% of homes are seasonal or vacation homes, against 7.8% statewide, which helps explain the older median age.
People 65 and older are 30% of residents (21% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 16% of residents (21% statewide). Palmetto’s median age is 49.8 years. 28% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 34% across Florida.
| Palmetto | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.8 years | 42.4 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 28% | 31% | 29% |
53% women, 47% men
About 90 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±2.3 points). Across Florida, 50.9% of residents are women.
| Palmetto | FL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.9% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 8.2% | 9.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.8% | 8.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 8% | 12.7% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.5% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.8% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.8% | 13.4% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 15.2% | 11.7% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 14.8% | 9.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 12.9% | 10.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 28.2% | 27.2% | 26% |
| Some college | 20.8% | 18.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10% | 10.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 20% | 21.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.1% | 12.9% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
The Bradenton 5 Ese weather station, 7 miles away, records that about 116 days a year reach 90°, more than in 97% of U.S. towns. January nights average 52.1°, milder than in 99% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 91.1°.
Palmetto has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The January low in Palmetto is 52°F. Snow is almost unheard of.
| Palmetto | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 52°F | 51°F | 22°F |
| July high | 91°F | 91°F | 85°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Palmetto has about as many jobs (5,891) as working residents, but only 406 people both live and work here.
Most working residents leave Palmetto for work: only 7% work in town. Jobs based in Palmetto grew to 5,891 in 2023, 735 more than in 2013. 14% of Palmetto residents live below the poverty line.
| Palmetto | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 14% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $63,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 11% | 14% | 11% |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Palmetto's reported crime rate is well above Florida's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. 83 violent crimes were reported in 2024.
| Palmetto | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 6.1 per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 1.7 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 17.8 per 1,000 residents | 16.2 | 11.5 |
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
Against the 9,530 U.S. towns with household incomes like Palmetto’s, it is healthier than 66%, so its C+ isn’t only a matter of income.
Palmetto beats the Florida average on 1 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 7. 17% of adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance in Palmetto.
| Palmetto | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 8.1% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 12% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 18% | 23% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 37% | 35% |
| What stands out | Palmetto | FL |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.5% | 78.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.5% | 9.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The typical value, about $350K, is 16% below its August 2022 peak.
The typical Palmetto home is worth about $350,000, down 2.7% in a year, 7% below the Florida typical home.
| Palmetto | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,366 a month | $1,647 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 69% | 72% | 73% |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
0.8 miles of trail in 8 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Blackstone Park, at 34 acres.
| Palmetto | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 4.6% | 3% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Blackstone Park | — | 34 |
| 2. Palmetto Estuary Nature Preserve | — | 26 |
| 3. Lincoln Community Park | — | 17 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
8 within 15 miles of the center of Palmetto
About 4 of every 100 Palmetto residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Florida.
3 places in Palmetto on the National Register of Historic Places.
6 notable people were born in Palmetto.
City in Florida, United States
Palmetto is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was listed as 13,323, up from 12,606 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Sarasota metropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
2 towns share a border with Palmetto.
Palmetto, Memphis and Ellenton report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Palmetto with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Palmetto grades C overall, better than 27% of U.S. towns and #392 of 634 in Florida. It grades C+ for health and C+ for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
6 notable people were born here, including George Dickie and Alvoid Mays.
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