Living a Beach Lifestyle in Jacksonville, Florida

Jacksonville is the most populated city in Florida with 808,000 inhabitants. It is also the 12th largest  city in the country.  Jacksonville Beach has miles of wonderful beaches and a resort-like feel. It continues its tradition as the entertainment center of Northeast Florida. Spring and Summer are festival and concert season in this city by the sea. Fans of the blues, jazz, classical music, and movies are just a few of the many who are drawn to the nearly weekly events in Jacksonville Beach that offer family entertainment.  

Where to Retire in Jacksonville and Home Prices

The community is diverse as well both in its people and types of housing - everything from downtown high rises to beach front apartments to active adult communities (see link at top left). The city is huge geographically with many very different neighborhoods. An historic neighborhood that gets a lot of favorable press is the Riverside/Avondale area where there is a lot of historic preservation. Surrounding towns like Orange Park and Fleming Island are other possible places to live.
The NAR reports in the 3rd quarter of 2022, the median sales price of a home in Jacksonville was $398,000. Prices tend to be lower closer to the downtown and higher in the beach communities of Jacksonville Beach or Vilano Beach.

What Is Special about Jacksonville

• It’s a big city with lots to do • Professional sports teams (Jacksonville Jaguars) • Great beaches • Rich cultural life • Diversity and vital business life •Many interesting neighborhoods, suburbs, and developments • Jacksonville Landing and Jacksonville Riverwalks are great for dining and shopping • Friendship Park with its large fountain

What Is Not Special about Jacksonville

• Downtown traffic • It’s a big city with a high crime rate • There are some depressed and marginal areas of the city • Hurricane season

Climate and Physical Environment

Jacksonville is located in what is referred to as the First Coast region of northeast Florida. The city is situated on the banks of the St. Johns River, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean about 20 miles east of downtown. The average July high temperature is 90 and the average January high is 64 (the low is 45).

Restaurants & Cultural Scene

The Jacksonville Jazz Festival, held every April, is the nation’s second-largest jazz festival. The Spring Music Fest is a free concert sponsored by the city that features some of today's most popular artists. Planetfest features a variety of modern rock artists. The Jacksonville Film Festival is held in May, reflecting Jacksonville’s early history as the “Winter Film Capital of the World”. There is a Museum of Science and History, which includes the Alexander Brest Planetarium. The Jacksonville Museum of Contemporary Art. Jacksonville has several theaters including the Ritz.

Crime

As in most cities, the crime rate in Jacksonville is significantly higher than the U.S. average.

Medical Facilities

There are at least 8 hospitals in the area.

Transportation

Jacksonville International (12 Miles). Amtrak. The Jacksonville Transit Authority provides public transportation including the stadium shuttle. The JTA Skyway is a monorail through the downtown business district. 

Valuable Links

Visit Jacksonville

Jacksonville on Wikipedia

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