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 16 miles of scenic Atlantic coastline, Jacksonville is the principal city of the greater Jacksonville metropolitan area, which comprises just over 1.6 million people. Full-time residents of Jacksonville enjoy an average year-round temperature of 70' allowing for endless outdoor adventure and activities. This fast-growing Florida city is a top destination for Millennials with its strong growth in technology and healthcare jobs, attractive home prices and hip social scene. Jacksonville is also a popular destination for retirees with its attractive cost of living, access to excellent healthcare as well as its overall high quality of life.
Jacksonville Awards & Accolades
The Jacksonville area commonly receives top rankings as "Best Place" to live or retire in Florida, accolades for its top-rated healthcare as well as mentions of its strong housing market. View recent accolades below.
Jacksonville was recently ranked as the #4 "Best Place to Live" in Florida for 2023 - 2024 by U.S. News & World Report. This study evaluated Florida cities based upon multiple factors including housing affordability, resident happiness, access to quality healthcare, employment and overall city desirability.
"TOP 5" BEST PLACES TO LIVE IN FLORIDA 2023 - 2024
Best Places to Live in Florida (2023-2024)
#
City, State
Average Home Price
Average Age
1
Sarasota, FL
$447,8
48.9
2
Naples, FL
$585,137
65.4
3
Melbourne, FL
$368,720
41.4
4
Jacksonville, FL
$294,224
35.9
5
Tampa, FL
$375,010
35.9
Average Home Prices as of Nov 1, 2024
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 a Fast-Growing City in Florida
Jacksonville's population has been growing quickly in recent years and now ranks as the #17th fast-growing city in the entire country by U.S. News & World Report for 2023-24 (view rankings). Strong population growth in genreral is a good leading indicator of cities on an economic upswing.
Jacksonville's Real Estate Market Remains Healthy
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 the St Johns River in Ponte Vedra, is one of the best-selling communities in all of Florida. At the start of November 2024, the average Jacksonville home price is $294,224 and represents a 0.2% year-over-year decrease. 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. US News & World Report currently ranks Jacksonville's Mayo Clinic as the #1 overall Best Hospital in the state of Florida (out of 247 hospitals evaluated).
View Mayo Clinic ranking.
Jacksonville Has Strong Employment Market
Jacksonville's job market has been very strong in recent years with an unemployment rate of only 3.6%, much less than the national average of 4.1% (Nov 2024). 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 Top City for Millenials
According to US Census Data, Jacksonville is a top city where Millennials are moving to. In late 2022, SmartAsset Magazine ranked Jacksonville as the #5 city destination is the U.S. (and #1 in Florida) of which Millenials are moving to. 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 To 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.
Please mention Moving to Florida Guide when calling so I can track my marketing efforts. Thanks! License # BK3235951
The Jacksonville Real Estate Market
Market outlook, trends and relocation advice by Jeff Riber.
The Jacksonville housing market continues to remain healthy and vibrant as buyers continue to step up in this now higher-rate environment. This strong buyer demand is causing the Jacksonville median home price to gradually rise each month and is also causing our available supply of homes to remain steady around a 5 month supply. New listings are now spending approximately 42 days on market vs 12 days as was during the Covid frenzy. While we are still experiencing some multiple offer situations for in-demand areas and price ranges, it's nowhere near nor extreme as it was during the market peak. New home builders have now also backed away from their auction system when releasing their available lots, which makes for a healthier and more balanced market.
View my market outlook.
Jacksonville Housing Market Outlook
My outlook for the Jacksonville real estate market heading into 2025 is that buyer demand will continue to be healthy, and only increase going forward as the Fed is likely to continue reducing rates near term. I also expect our Jacksonville home price appreciation going forward to be much less than we saw during the pandemic years and think we’ll see appreciation more in the 1% - 5% range in the year ahead.
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. 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 communities of Silverleaf and Nocatee (south of Jacksonville) as they are top-selling communities 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.
"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
View more reviews
"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
Meet Jeff
Your Jacksonville Relocation Specialist
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Jeff Riber - Your Jacksonville Relocation Specialist
Map of the Jacksonville Area
The following map overviews the Jacksonville area. The various regions of Jacksonville, the beaches and the Jacksonville International airport have been marked for your convenience.
Your Guide to Jacksonville Real Estate, Beaches, Area Attractions & Employment
Jacksonville Real Estate
Below are the best neighborhoods and top communities in the Jacksonville area that people are moving to.
Nocatee - Jacksonville's Top Master-Planned Community
Nocatee, located in Southeast Jacksonville (Ponte Vedra), is the area's largest master-planned community. Below are popular Nocatee neighborhoods.
Artisan Lakes
Pioneer Village at Crosswater
Tidewater
Timberland Ridge
Freedom Landing
Del Webb Ponte Vedra
Coastal Oaks
The Hammock at Twenty Mile
Downtown Jacksonville Neighborhoods
Northbank
LaVilla
Brooklyn
Southbanks
Top Communities in North Jacksonville
Hampton West
Riverview
Heron's Walk
Cascade Point
Tidewater
Osprey Landing
Top Communities in West Jacksonville
Avondale
Lake Shore
Murray Hill
Riverside
Durkeeville
Expand Top Communities List
Top Communities in Southwest Jacksonville
Oakleaf Plantation
Lennar at Longleaf
Arbor Mill
Water Mill
Chimney Lakes
Top Communities in St Johns
TrailMark
RiverTown
Shearwater
Palencia
Bannon Lakes
Top Golf Communities in Jacksonville
Jacksonville Golf & Country Club
Atlantic Beach County Club
Sawgrass
Glen Kernan
Jacksonville Area Beaches
Jacksonville has four main beaches which are just a short communte from Downtown. Nearby public parking and restrooms are available for all beachgoers.
Atlantic Beach
Neptune Beach
Jacksonville Beach
Ponte Vedra Beach
Jacksonville Area Shopping Centers
The Jacksonville area has popular shopping malls as well as open-air town centers with all your favorite brands.
Jacksonville is home to many of the top and best employers in Duval County, and many are headquartered here locally. Listed below are the top and largest employers in the Jacksonville area.
Top Medical & Healthcare Companies in Jacksonville
Florida Blue
Baptist Health
Ascention St Vincent's
Mayo Clinic
UF Health
Top Technology Companies in Jacksonville
AT&T
Fanatics
C2C Solutions
Web.com
CSX Technology
Top Financial Services Companies in Jacksonville
Citizens Property Insurance
Capstone Financial
Wells Fargo
Fidenlity Investments
TIAA Bank
Top Business Solution Companies in Jacksonville
Parrallon
One Call
Top Manufacturing Companies in Jacksonville
Southeastern Aluminum Products
Safariland / BAE Systems
Novolex
Malnove
American Coolair
Crown Products Company
Swisher International
Sunoptic Technologies
Certified Slings
North Florida Shipyards
Expand Largest Employers List
Largest Employers in Duval County
Naval Air Station
Duval County Public Schools
Jacksonville City Government
Baptist Health
Bank of America
Florida Blue
Mayo Clinic
Southeastern Grocers
Ascension St. Vincent’s
Citi
Amazon
Fleet Readiness Center
JPMorgan Chase
UF Health
Wells Fargo
AT&T
Black Knight Financial
JEA
UPS
Deutsche Bank
Brooks Rehabilitation
TIAA Bank
Johnson & Johnson
Flagler Hospital
Discover Florida
Click below to discover Florida's east and west coasts as well as the best places to live in Florida.