Twenty years ago, the Uihlein family broke ground on a 17,500-acre tract of land in vast Schroeder-Manatee Ranch that eventually became Lakewood Ranch. Once contemplated as the perfect place for a county landfill or an airport, Lakewood Ranch in 1994 was so far from Sarasota and Manatee’s centers of commerce and population that most locals didn’t understand the eventual size and impact of the ambitious development. But the meticulously planned community, with street after street of new homes, walking trails, lakes and green space, grew into one of the best-selling master-planned communities in the U.S. With more than 18,000 residents today, the community has emerged as a center of affluence, sports and business. And it’s still growing.

Homes on the Ranch

Lakewood Ranch

Acres 17,500

Homes 8,500

Schroeder-Manatee Ranch

Acres 31,000

Homes 23,000

100 Neighborhoods

Coming in 2014: 5,500-acre Villages of Lakewood Ranch South

Lakewood Ranch's first residential neighborhood in Sarasota County, with 5,144 homes approved at build-out.

No. of million dollar homes in The Lake Club: 146

Average new home price in LWR: $417,000

Most popular home style: Med-Rev

Most prolific builder: Pat Neal

Open for Business

Annual business sales volume: $1.5 billion

Businesses in Lakewood Ranch: 1,200

Commercial Vacancy Rate: Bradenton (29%), City of Sarasota (12%), Lakewood Ranch (7%)

Meet the Ranchers

Family Ties

The Uihlein family owns Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, the developer of Lakewood Ranch.

The Uihleins were a leading family in Milwaukee.

Longtime owners of the now defunct Jos. Schlitz Brewing Co.

[The family] purchased the 48 square miles that would become Schroeder-Manatee Ranch in 1922.

[And] helped found and support the Sarasota Polo Club.

Median Age

Lakewood Ranch: 45

Sarasota County: 53

Manatee County: 46

Population

Lakewood Ranch: 18,000

North Port: 58,378

Bradenton: 50,672

Sarasota (city): 53,811

Venice: 21,054

Where Residents Come From

Florida: 40%

Northeast: 25%

South: 16%

Midwest: 12%

West: 5%

Canada/International: 3%

Racial Composition

Lakewood Ranch: White (92%) - African American (2%) - Hispanic (5%)

Bradenton: White (64%) - African American (16%) - Hispanic (17%)

Sarasota (city): White (65%) - African American (16%) - Hispanic (17%)

Venice: White (95%) - African American (1%) - Hispanic (3%)

North Port: White (82%) - African American (7%) - Hispanic (9%)

Household Income

Lakewood Ranch: $89,707

Sarasota: $48,900

Manatee: $47,910

Longboat Key: $94,800

Most famous rancher

Dick Vitale, America's basketball sportscaster

The Sporting Life

Where to play

Premier sports campus: 22 fields, 140 acres

Sarasota Polo Club: 9 fields, 130 acres

Sarasota International Cricket: year-round games

Ancient Oak Gun Club: 24 shooting stations, 2 separate courses

Trails: 150 miles for walking, hiking, biking

Golf Club Holes

Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club: 54

Legacy Golf & Country Club East: 18

Brain Power

Where the Kids Are

Public high schools: 2

Public middle schools: 2

Public elementary schools: 5

Private or charter schools: 5

Technical institute: 1

Colleges: 5