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 22 miles of scenic Atlantic coastline, Jacksonville is the principal city of the greater Jacksonville metropolitan area, which comprises just over 1.7 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 modern 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.- 2026
Jacksonville Named a "Housing Hotspot" for 2026 - National Association of Realtors (NAR)Jacksonville Ranks as the #1 "Best Big City to Retire" in the U.S. - US News & World Report - 2025
Top Reasons to Relocate to Jacksonville
- Jacksonville is a Best Big City to Retire In
Jacksonville was recently ranked as the #1 "Best Big City to Retire In" for 2026 by U.S. News & World Report. This study evaluated big cities nationwide based upon multiple factors including housing affordability, cost of living, resident happiness, access to quality healthcare, employment and overall city desirability. View City Ranking List.
# City, State Average Home Price Average Age 1 Jacksonville, FL $280,096 35.9 2 Houston, TX $264,052 34.3 3 Oklahoma City, OK $202,976 35.0 4 El Paso, TX $229,646 34.1 5 Fort Worth, TX $292,666 33.4 Average Home Prices as of Dec 1, 2025 - 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 grwoing quickly in recent years and was named the #10 city in the country for population growth in 2024 by the U.S. Census Bureau. View the city population growth list. In general, strong population growth is a good leading indicator of cities on an economic upswing. - Jacksonville's Real Estate Market Remains Healthy
Jacksonville's real estate market remains healthy as many continue relocating to the area and as the region is home to Rivertown and Silverleaf, two to the “Top 10,” best-selling communities in all of Florida for 2025 (based up mid-year sales). At the start of December 2025, the average Jacksonville home price is $280,096 and represents a 4.3% 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 4.2%, in-line with the national average of 4.6% (December 2025). 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 recent studies from Hire A Helper (2024) and SmartAsset Magazine (2022), Jacksonville is a top destination city in the U.S. of which Millennials are moving to. Stong employment opportunities in technology and healthcare, quality of housing and establishing a household are the top reasons why Jacksonville is a popular Millenial destination. View the Hire A Helper Where are the Millennials Going study. - 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 Real Estate Market
Market outlook, trends and relocation advice by Jeff Riber.
The Jacksonville housing market continues to remain resilient in December as buyers are stepping up once again and inventory levels are now back to a 5.0 month supply. By comparison, the housing supply was just over 6 months in January. New listings are now spending approximately 39 days on market. 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 are now back to the more traditional waiting lists for their available lots and offerings, which again makes for a healthier and more balanced market.
View my market outlook.
Jacksonville Housing Market Outlook
My outlook for the Jacksonville real estate market in early 2026 is that buyer demand will continue to be healthy, and only increase going forward as the Fed is likely to continue with additonal rate cuts in the new year. 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.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.
Jeremy M.
Past Client
Past Client
"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!"
Danny S.
Past Client
Past Client
"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!"
Alyssa P.
Past Client
Past Client
"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!"
