I was a long-time resident in # 10, Sarasota, FL. I definitely would not call it "affordable" for most people, other than retired executives, business owners, professionals. There is the rich crust of Sarasota, the "Gold Coast" attracts an international jet set of very wealthy people. Then there's a thin filling of upper middle class professionals, especially those in the medical field (Sarasota has a huge population of old people and they need medical services. And Sarasota was great for that aspect!) and formerly well-off retirees. And then there's a Huge Bottom Crust of poverty stricken elderly and the working poor that support the wheels to keep Sarasota running... the health care workers, home aides, lawn care, technicians, etc. Many of them working 2 or 3 jobs to be able to live in that area.
But certainly the coastal area south of Sarasota, or even north of there, and even north of the Tampa area, are much more affordable. The interior of Florida can be very affordable too. although it's not necessarily "on the water" (yet), and it's not too far to drive from there to either coast, to the Tampa area, the Orlando area (Disney, etc), or to Miami.
# 9, Cape Coral. yes, that's definitely an affordable area, more so than Sarasota. And it is pretty nice there.
