Bradenton and Anna Maria Island: what it really costs to own

The area

Anna Maria Island is a Gulf barrier island made up of three small cities: Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach. A free county trolley runs along Gulf Drive between the Anna Maria City Pier and Coquina Beach. Two bridges reach the island: the Cortez Bridge is being replaced (construction runs into 2028), and a fixed high-level bridge is planned to replace the Anna Maria Island Bridge on State Road 64.

Bradenton sits on the Manatee River; De Soto National Memorial is about five miles west of downtown, where the river meets Tampa Bay. Parrish, in rural north Manatee County, is home to the Florida Railroad Museum and many newer master-planned communities.

Property taxes

Simple arithmetic (value × mills ÷ 1,000), not a bill. School taxes are 6.3040 of these mills. Manatee's proposed 2026 rates are close to these, but final 2026 rates aren't certified yet.

Fire assessments

• Island cities (West Manatee Fire Rescue, 2026-27): single-family homes pay $274.00 for the first 1,000 square feet plus about 16 cents for each additional square foot (about $436 for 2,000 square feet). Homes used as vacation rentals pay $680.95 per unit, and an approved optional sprinkler system earns 25% off.
• Parrish (North River Fire District): the district says a typical home pays a flat $228.85, regardless of square footage.

CDD fees in Parrish and north Manatee

Many newer communities in Parrish and north Manatee County are in Community Development Districts, which charge operations and bond debt on the property tax bill. Published 2025-26 examples (per lot, including collection costs):

Florida law requires the first sale contract in a CDD to disclose that the district may levy taxes or assessments. HOA dues are separate, and HOA buyers must receive a disclosure summary before signing. Manatee County posts every district's budget online (linked at right).

Flood and insurance

FEMA list effective April 2026. Under current NFIP pricing, FEMA applies the discount to every NFIP policy in a participating community, including homes outside high-risk flood zones. The county also applies the 50% substantial improvement rule, counting improvements over a one-year period.

Recent storms:

• Helene (September 2024): 5–7 feet of storm surge above ground from the Anclote River to Longboat Key. The National Hurricane Center reported that Anna Maria Island was heavily damaged by surge, with at least 594 structures destroyed on the Manatee mainland.
• Milton (two weeks later): made landfall on Siesta Key, with 4–6 feet of surge from Longboat Key to Venice.

Citizens Property Insurance now requires flood coverage for policies with $400,000 or more in dwelling coverage and for most policies by January 1, 2027.

Vacation rental rules

• City of Anna Maria: registration with state, county and city documents, and a passed inspection before a new rental can be advertised, then annual inspections. Occupancy is the lesser of a bedroom-based formula or 8 people (not applied when the owner lives there).
• Holmes Beach: a vacation rental certificate ($545 initially and at each two-year renewal) with yearly fire inspections. Minimum stays are 30 days in R-1/R-1AA zones and 7 days in R-2, R-3 and R-4, with daily rentals allowed in A-1. Occupancy is capped at six people or two per bedroom, whichever is greater.
• Bradenton Beach: registration for rentals of 30 days or less, three or more times a year. Occupancy rules were under discussion in mid-2026, so check the current code.
• City of Bradenton: a certificate of registration for rentals under 30 days, three or more times a year ($250 initial, $150 renewal), with an inspection.
• Unincorporated Manatee County (incl. Parrish): no registration as of mid-2026; a draft ordinance with registration, inspection and a 12-person cap was being revised.
• Everywhere: Manatee County's 6% tourist tax applies to short-term rentals, and HOA rules can be stricter.

Florida bars new local bans on vacation rentals and new limits on rental length or frequency, but rules adopted by June 1, 2011 still apply, which is why some island cities have zone-based minimum stays.

Condos and utilities

Condo buildings of three or more habitable stories need a milestone structural inspection at 30 years and every 10 years after, plus a structural integrity reserve study at least every 10 years. Owners can no longer vote to waive those reserves. Manatee County Utilities provides sewer to the island cities and unincorporated areas, and water to the island cities.