Is Jacksonville, FL a Good Place to Live?
Jacksonville is a large city of 950,203 in Florida, with a median household income of $64,138 and a 4.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 99 (US average = 100), which is 1% below the national average.
Strengths: Jacksonville stands out for below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index. Whether Jacksonville is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Jacksonville city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 99.2Jacksonville's overall cost of living index is 99.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Jacksonville costs roughly 1% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Jacksonville, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $243,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,281 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.0% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $64,138 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Higher than AverageJacksonville's violent crime rate is 623.8 per 100,000 residents — 64% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Jacksonville is served primarily by DUVAL. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.1:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Jacksonville, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | DUVAL | — |
| Elementary Schools | 126 | — |
| Middle Schools | 26 | — |
| High Schools | 39 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 19.1:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.0% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 90.5% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Jacksonville sees average highs of 65.5°F in January and 91.8°F in July, with 53.1 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Jacksonville, FL |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 65.5°F |
| Average High — July | 91.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Jacksonville, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 950,203 | — |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 24.4 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 53.1% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 30.4% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.5% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 4.9% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 14.4% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Jacksonville
Jacksonville, FL is covered by 34 ZIP codes: