Jacksonville, FL, known as 'The River City,' offers a unique blend of natural beauty and urban sophistication. Located in northeastern Florida, Jacksonville is a large city that serves as a major economic and cultural hub. Major nearby cities like St. Augustine and Fernandina Beach enhance its status as a central point in the region. Jacksonville's blend of scenic waterways, cultural festivals, and urban amenities creates a distinctive living experience.
Jacksonville is home to several iconic landmarks, including the Jacksonville Landing, the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, and the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. The city offers a variety of attractions, from the beautiful beaches of the Atlantic Ocean to the bustling Riverside Arts Market, known for its local crafts and food. Jacksonville's dining scene is diverse, offering everything from fresh seafood to Southern comfort food.
Annual events such as the Jacksonville Jazz Festival and the Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair highlight the city's vibrant cultural scene and provide unique entertainment opportunities for residents and visitors. These events celebrate Jacksonville's rich cultural heritage and community spirit. Prestigious institutions like the University of North Florida and Jacksonville University contribute to the city's academic and cultural vibrancy, fostering a thriving intellectual community.
The arts and culture scene in Jacksonville is vibrant and diverse, with numerous theaters, music venues, and art galleries. The Florida Theatre and the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville are just a few of the cultural landmarks that showcase the city's commitment to the arts. Living in Jacksonville provides ample opportunities to engage with art, music, and history, making it an exciting place to call home.
Jacksonville’s community is welcoming and diverse, creating a friendly environment for newcomers. The city is home to professional sports teams like the Jaguars (NFL) and the Jumbo Shrimp (MiLB), providing plenty of excitement for sports fans. Major industries in Jacksonville include healthcare, finance, and logistics, with significant employers such as Baptist Health and CSX Corporation driving economic growth. The city has extensive public transit options, including buses, the Skyway monorail, and a developing bike-sharing program. The weather in Jacksonville is characterized by hot summers and mild winters, making it an attractive destination year-round.
Amenities
Within the vicinity, you'll find a wealth of amenities, from restaurants and coffee shops to grocery stores and local shops, all easily accessible on foot.
Commute
High scores in the commute category could indicate that this area offers short commute times to work and readily available public transportation options.
Cost Of Living
Residents in this area benefit from an affordable cost of living. This includes goods and services, transportation, housing, utilities, groceries and healthcare.
Housing
The housing category in this area boasts higher than average scores, likely influenced by a positive home affordability ratio, robust appreciation rates or elevated home values.
Health & Safety
Earning a high health and safety score depends on factors such as good air quality and the availability of essential health facilities like hospitals, clinics, doctors, and fire stations.
Ratings
Polls and surveys done by AreaVibes among area residents did not yield positive feedback when it came to the walkability of amenities, safety, nearby parks and the overall sense of community.
Jacksonville is a highly populated city located in the state of Florida. The city has a population of 902,488 inhabitants. Individuals of White (56%) and Black or African American (31%) backgrounds make up a significant portion of the population of the city. All the single ladies and all the single fellas might want to take notice as only 49% of the Jacksonville population is married. On a daily basis, the typical American spends approximately 26 minutes on their one-way work commute. Reduced travel times not only contributes to increased overall happiness, but also affords more opportunities to cherish moments with family and friends. If you're living in Jacksonville, your commute time will align closely with the national average, spanning a one-way duration of approximately 25 minutes.
Whether you’re moving to a new city to be closer to family, friends or for a new job, living in Jacksonville could be a positive experience compared to other cities in Florida if you know where to look. Don't forget to determine what matters most to you in a neighborhood. Consider factors such as safety, proximity to work or school, access to amenities (like parks, fitness facilities, grocery stores, restaurants), public transportation options, community atmosphere and the overall vibe you're looking for. Finding the best places to live in Jacksonville and nearby areas is a much easier task when you can rely on information and data from the livability score, which includes crime, health & safety, employment and other important metrics.
The livability score in Jacksonville is 80/100 and the city is ranked in the 96th percentile of all cities across America. Clearly, Jacksonville is doing something right, as this score ranks well above the average of most cities. Jacksonville has also earned the rare honor of ranking in the top 10 percentile among all cities. If we dig down a little deeper into each category within the livability score, we see that Jacksonville has higher than average rankings for the following: amenities (A+), cost of living (A+), education (B-) and housing (A+). On a more negative note, Jacksonville does not have favorable grades for the following: crime (F). If we take a look at the data, we can find out why.
If you're living in Jacksonville, you can expect to enjoy a multitude of local amenities, mostly thanks to the strategic placement of essential services such as grocery stores, restaurants, coffee shops, parks and various shops. If you're contemplating a move to this locale with the intent of establishing it as your permanent residence, you'll be pleased to find an extensive array of amenities and recreational opportunities within easy reach, either on foot or via a brief commute. This wealth of accessible amenities not only enhances the livability of the area but also ensures that you can enjoy a rich and fulfilling lifestyle, making Jacksonville an attractive destination for those seeking a vibrant and well-served community to call home. Some of the interesting things to do and attractions include: Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens, e2ride bike tours, and Jacksonville Landing.
A healthy real estate market serves as a key economic indicator. It could signify overall local economic strength, stability and reflects consumer confidence in the area. Based on multiple factors including: median home and rental prices, appreciation rates and home affordability, Jacksonville has received high marks in the housing category. Based on these calculations, the apartment rental and real estate market appears to be very healthy.
There are many factors that go into deciding if an area is the right fit for your lifestyle. Certain “must haves” like low crime, great schools and nearby amenities are all at the top of most people's lists. But before even considering if those options are attainable, we'll need to know if the real estate in Jacksonville is actually affordable. The median home price for Jacksonville homes is $187,700, which is 12.5% higher than the Florida average. If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in Jacksonville, we’ll see that the home price to income ratio is 3.4, which is 0% lower than the Florida average.
| Statistic | Jacksonville | Florida | National |
| Average one way commute | 25min | 27min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 78.7% | 79.5% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 8.8% | 9.3% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 1.7% | 2.1% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 0.5% | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 1.6% | 1.5% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 6.7% | 5.4% | 4.6% |
Here are the best places to live in Florida
Check out the 10 safest cities in Florida
Check out the 10 most dangerous cities in Florida
Safest Cities In The US