Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Jacksonville, FL
VS
Wilmington, NC
🏆 Wilmington leads 12 of 23 categories
Jacksonville
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
99.2
Median Household Income
$64,138 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
164⚠ High
Population
950,203 ✓ Larger
Wilmington
North Carolina
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,908
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
116,933
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Jacksonville, FL
Pros
Homes cost $76k less ($243,000 vs $318,600)
Households earn $5,230 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 66°F vs 57°F
Cons
Violent crime (623.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2494.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Wilmington
Wilmington, NC
Pros
23% less violent crime than Jacksonville
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 43.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 15.2:1 student-teacher ratio
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Jacksonville
Cons
Violent crime (482.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Pricier housing — median home is $318,600
Property crime (3514.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Jacksonville by $5,230/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Jacksonville
Median Income
$5,230
$64,138 vs $58,908/yr
Jacksonville
Median Home Value
$76k less
$243,000 vs $318,600
Wilmington
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 97.1 vs 99.2 (100 = US avg)
Wilmington
Violent Crime
23% lower
482.8 vs 623.8 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Jacksonville, FL | Wilmington, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 99.2 | 97.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $243,000 ✓ Lower | $318,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,281 | $1,213 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,138 ✓ Higher | $58,908 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.4 min | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% | 14.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 146⚠ High | 143⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 164⚠ High | 127⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 119⚠ High ✓ Safer | 167⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.1:1 | 15.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.0% | 43.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.5% | 93.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | DUVAL | New Hanover County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.5°F ✓ Warmer | 57.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F ✓ Warmer | 90.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.1" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 950,203 ✓ Larger | 116,933 |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 37.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.0% ✓ Higher | 45.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% ✓ More | 16.8% |
| Over 65 | 14.4% | 17.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Jacksonville's cost of living index is 99.2 vs Wilmington's 97.1 (US average = 100).
Wilmington is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Wilmington leads 12 of 23 categories. Jacksonville wins 11 and Wilmington wins 12. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Jacksonville to Wilmington or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($243,000 vs $318,600 median home), income ($64,138 vs $58,908), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Jacksonville, FL and Wilmington, NC are about 347 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.