Venice, FL

Venice, Florida

Introduction to Venice, Florida

Venice, Florida, in Sarasota county, is 17 miles S of Sarasota, Florida (center to center) and 58 miles S of Tampa, Florida. The city is included in the Sarasota - Bradenton metropolitan area. As of the year 2000 census, 17,764 people lived in Venice.

Venice History

Venice had its first settlers in the late 1860s. John and Eliza Webb, a couple from New York, were the first people to settle in this area. Frank Higel, who contributed significantly in the development of Venice, was also instrumental in its naming. He was originally from Venice, Italy and suggested the name Venice because the intricately woven canals of the coastal town reminded him of his hometown. Later, in 1910, Bertha Palmer from Chicago bought 140,000 acres of land around this area. She helped in establishing a railroad terminal here. In the 1920s, Dr. Fred Albee got the famous city planner John Nolen to make plans for developing a large area of Venice. The plan was well thought out and executed, and a lot of the original plan can still be seen in the downtown area.

Venice and nearby Attractions

• Triangle Inn Museum
• Venice Municipal Beach
• Venetian Golf and River Club
• Waterway Park
• Pelican Pointe Golf and Country Club
• Jacaranda West Country Club

Venice Activities

Venice is also popular as the Shark Tooth Capital of the World, because one can find an abundant amount of fossilized shark teeth strewn on its shores. Locals as well as tourists are fond of going on shark tooth hunts. The city people also celebrate an annual Shark Tooth Festival. Apart from that, a number of special events, concerts and art and crafts shows are organized throughout the year on Venice Avenue. People indulge in water sports on the beach, and there are golf courses for golf enthusiasts as well.

Venice Transportation

General air travel services are provided by Tampa International Airport.

Venice Higher Education

Adult education is available from Manatee Community College.

High Points

Venice strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Florida):

Category	Trophy
Walking and Biking to Work (vs. Peers)	Top 6%
Short Commute Times (vs. State)	Top 14%
Low Rate of Poverty (vs. State)	Top 15%
Low Violent Crime (vs. State)	Top 17%

Comparative Profile of Venice, FL

Comparing Venice to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Florida (State):

Ratings range from (lowest) to (highest).

The People

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Senior Citizens
Age of the Population
Female Share of the Population
Well-Paid Single Men
Well-Paid Single Women
Racial Diversity
Male Share of the Population
Children Under 5 Years Old

Families

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Portion of People Married
Average Household Size

Wealth

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
College Educated Adults
People Above Poverty
People in Middle Class or Better
Median Family Income

Commute & Sprawl

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Walking and Biking to Work
Working at Home
Short Commute Times
Public Transportation Use

Housing

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Seasonal and Vacation Housing
People Living Alone
Housing Recently Built
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals
Affordability of Property Taxes
Affordability of Rents

Crime

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Low Property Crime
Low Violent Crime

Venice Almanac

Venice Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

• Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
• Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

Venice Population (2000)

(From 2000 Census, as reported by individuals)

Neighborhood and Nearby Area Names

According to the US Postal Service, Venice, its neighborhoods, and/or surrounding areas are also referred to as:

Note that not all alternate names are acceptable for use in US Post Office addresses.

Nearby Cities and Towns

Venice Hospitals

VENICE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
(Proprietary)
540 THE RIALTO
(941) 485-7711
Emergency Service: Yes

Wal-Mart in Venice

Venice High Schools (2004)

VENICE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
#1 INDIAN AVENUE
941-488-6726
Serves 2,152 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 19.2

GULF COAST MARINE INSTITUTE
220 BAHAMA STREET
941-486-2559
Serves 20 students.

Venice Colleges

(List of All Florida Colleges)

NEW: Community Comments below!