Thinking of Moving to Jacksonville?
Discover what living in America's first coast is like.
If you're considering moving to Jacksonville and in the process of researching top Florida cities, you're in the right place. This page has been created to help you discover the greater Jacksonville area and what life is like as a full-time resident on Florida's first coast. We will overview the local employment and job market, popular beaches, attractions and things to do. We also encourage you to reach out to Jeff Riber, our Jacksonville relocation expert, as he is glad to answer to any specific questions you may have about Jacksonville including the current real estate market, home prices and annual living costs.About Jacksonville, FL
Located in Duval County, the seaport city of Jacksonville is the largest city in Florida by overall population and land area. With its 22 miles of Atlantic beaches, Jacksonville is the principal city in the greater Jacksonville Metropolitan Area, with a total population of 1,605,848 in 2020 (US Census Bureau). Full-time residents of Jacksonville enjoy an average year-round temperature of 70' allowing for a plethora of popular outdoor activities. This fast-growing city is a top destination for Millennials with its expanding IT sector and top-rated housing market. Jacksonville is also a popular destination for retirees with its designation as an underrated beach town, a Best City to eat in America, as well as its overall high quality of life.Jacksonville Awards & Accolades
The Jacksonville area is commonly receives accolades for its strong employment market and IT jobs, growth of its housing market, popular dining scene as well as its overall quality of life. View the list of recent accolades below.- 2022
- 2021
- 2020
Jacksonville, FL Named #6 Best Place to Retire in the U.S - US News & World Report Jackonville's Mayo Clinic Ranked the #1 Best Hospital in Florida - US News & World Report Jacksonville, FL Recognized as a "Best City for Women in Tech" - Smart Asset
Top Reasons to Relocate to Jacksonville
- Jacksonville is "Best City" to Retire In
Jacksonville was recently ranked #2 as the "Best Place to Live in Florida" by Bankrate. This study analyzed the 25 of the largest cities in Florida (with populations of greater than 100,000) and was based upon multiple factors including housing affordability, safety, educational attainment and overall culture. View City Rankings List - Florida Has No State Income Tax
As a Florida resident, you will definitely appreciate not having to pay a state income tax. This allows you to keep a higher percentage of the dollars you earn. In lieu of a state income tax, the state of Florida earns healthy revenues from the millions of tourists that visit the sunshine state every year through a 7% sales tax (state level) and a 5% tourist tax (county level) from revenues on rental properties and hotel visits that are for six months or less. Once you declare your Florida residency, you will surely appreciate the many tourists who pay your share of state taxes. - Jacksonville is the Fastest Growing City in Florida
Jacksonville's population has been growing quickly in recent years and now ranks as the #7th fast-growing city in the Southeast on the US Census Bureau website for cities with a population of 50,000 or more. Strong population growth is a good leading indicator of cities on an economic upswing. - Jacksonville is a Top Rated Real Estate Market
Jacksonville's real estate market has been appreciating steadily in recent years due to the influx of people relocating to the area. Jacksonville's Nocatee Community, located east of St Johns in Ponte Vedra, was recently ranked as the 5th best selling master-planned community in Florida in 2021. In late May of 2022, the average Jacksonville home price is $302,678 which represents a 31.1% year-over-year increase. To find out exact housing and living costs, the most preferred and popular neighborhoods people are moving into, contact Jeff Riber, our Jacksonville relocation expert listed on this page. - Jacksonville Has Top-Rated Healthcare & Hospitals
The greater Jacksonville area has several top rated hospitals including the Mayo Clinic, Wolfson Children's Hospital and Baptist Medical Center. In 2021, US News & World Report ranked Jacksonville's Mayo Clinic as the #1 overall Best Hospital in the state of Florida. View Mayo Clinic Rating. - Jacksonville Has Strong Employment Market
Jacksonville's job market has been very strong in recent years with an unemployment rate of only 2.9%. Top sectors in the Jacksonville economy include healthcare, manufacturing, professional services, education, and retail. The largest employers in the greater Jacksonville area include the Naval Air Station, Duval County Schools, Jacksonville City Government and Baptist Health. - Jacksonville Offers a Year-Round Playground
With an average year-round temperature of 67.9' degrees and 221 sunny days each year, Jacksonville is a top Florida city for outdoor enthusiasts. If you enjoy watersport activities, try kayaking or paddle boarding on the St. Johns River or Trout River. If you prefer landside recreation, Jacksonville offers miles of biking, jogging and pet-friendly trails including the Riverwalk Trail and the Baldwin Rail Trail. If you like to observe the native sea life and wild birds, visit Castaway Island Preserve. - Jacksonville is a Popular City for Millenials
According to US Census Data, Jacksonville is a top city where Millennials are moving to. Jacksonville recently ranked #5 as the most sought after destination for Millenials nationwide By Smart Asset. With the great year-round weather and lack of a state income tax, it's not hard to see why Jacksonville is a top pick. View the Where Millennials Are Moving list. - Jacksonville Has Great Dining & Cuisine Options
The greater Jacksonville area offers a wide variety of cuisines from casual, pet-friendly sidewalk cafes to fancy, five-star restaurants. There's also a popular scene of craft pubs and beer gardens to check out such as Bold City Brewery, Bottlenose Brewing, Engine 15 Brewing and Wicked Barley Brewing. Many of these trendy places offer a pet-friendly vibe, live entertainment and some even offer corn hole, darts and foosball while you enjoy a fresh, locally-crafted brew. - Jacksonville Offers Endless Events to Explore
Jacksonville offers a full scene of year-round of outdoor events to choose from including food and craft beer festivals, musical performances, car shows and film festivals. Popular Jacksonville events include the Jacksonville Jazz Festival, the Great Atlantic Seafood & Music Festival, the Jacksonville Film Festival and the Mandarin Art Festival.
Jeff Riber
Your Jacksonville Relocation Expert
(904) 405-1995
Please mention Moving to Florida Guide when calling so I can track my marketing efforts. Thanks!
License # BK3235951
The Jacksonville Market in 2022
Market outlook, trends and relocation advice by Jeff Riber.
The Jacksonville housing market has experienced steady appreciation of 15 - 20% over the past few years as many are relocating to Florida, but we are now starting to see signs that market conditions are slowly starting to normalize now that rates have risen in the first half of the year.
In the Jacksonville market currently, housing inventory still remains low at approximately a 1 month supply, but this showing signs of slowly increasing. While we are still experiencing strong activity and multiple offer situations for in-demand areas and price ranges, including new construction homes, it's not nearly as much or as extreme as it was in the first half of 2022. We are also now seeing where new home builders are backing away from an auction system when releasing their available lots. The auction system was implemented to allow prospective buyers to bid on a "lot premium" amount in efforts to try and secure a deal.
In the Jacksonville market currently, housing inventory still remains low at approximately a 1 month supply, but this showing signs of slowly increasing. While we are still experiencing strong activity and multiple offer situations for in-demand areas and price ranges, including new construction homes, it's not nearly as much or as extreme as it was in the first half of 2022. We are also now seeing where new home builders are backing away from an auction system when releasing their available lots. The auction system was implemented to allow prospective buyers to bid on a "lot premium" amount in efforts to try and secure a deal.
View my market outlook.
My Outlook for the 2nd Half of 2022
The demand for Jacksonville real estate continues to be very healthy heading into the 2nd half of 2022, and this trend is likely to remain. Should interest rates continue rising into year-end, this is likely to slow down the demand for our real estate and allow inventory levels to finally start increasing. I also expect home price appreciation to begin slowing and think we’ll see appreciation more in the 5% range in the year ahead vs some of the more lofty forecasts that have been predicted by Zillow and others.Market Trends I'm Observing
As Jacksonville grows into being a major US city, the demand for its real estate has come along for the ride. There are 5-10 large hedge funds purchasing homes in the area causing prices to rise. Many businesses are also relocating a portion of their operations (or even their full headquarters) which is bringing new jobs and more people seeking housing. With access to Atlantic coast beaches, the St Johns River, diverse shopping and restaurant options, and a lifestyle pace that is far more enticing than most major metropolitan areas, Northeast Florida is no-longer a hidden gem but a discovered reality. Several hundred new homes are being built in St Johns County alone every month. Many out-of-town buyers are also drawn to the amenity-rich master-planned community of Nocatee in the Ponte Vedra area (SE Jacksonville) as it's a top-selling community in the entire Southeast.My Relocation Advice
If you're new to the Jacksonville area and not exactly sure where you’d like to live yet, feel free to reach out to me and we can discuss what activities you enjoy and what you’d like to be close to. Also, just wanted to mention that as Jacksonville is the 2nd largest U.S. city (behind Anchorage, AK) at 874 square-miles in size, your experiences in one part of town could be different that one’s in a different part. As a long-time resident of the Jacksonville area, I am glad to provide my unique perspective on the different areas of Jacksonville and even glad to connect you with others who reside in these areas who can relay their experiences.Jacksonville Relocation Reviews:
Read what Jeff's past clients are saying.
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"We worked with Jeff during our relocation to the Jacksonville area. He made the process so smooth. We could not be happier with the area we chose to live, and the home is exactly what we wanted!"
Jeremy M.
Home Buyer -
"Jeff is great to work with! He makes buying a home easy and he puts his clients' needs first. He is very knowledgeable and a great advocate for his clients. I would recommend him to anyone that has a real estate need!"
Danny S.
Home Buyer -
"Jeff is a great agent who helped us find our dream home. He has so much knowledge of the JAX area and understands the housing market. We appreciated his honesty when looking at properties and his patience with us through a long search for the right one. You can’t go wrong with choosing Jeff as your agent!"
Alyssa P.
Home Buyer
