When you think about living in Jacksonville, FL pros and cons, what comes to mind? Maybe that Jacksonville is the largest city in Florida. Or that it’s seen hard times. However, since 2003, the city has had robust growth.
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Like any city, Jacksonville has good parts and bad, highs and lows that might affect big decisions. To help you make them, we put together a list of the Top 5 Pros and Cons of Living in Jacksonville, FL. It’s loaded with tips about one of our favorite Florida cities, Jacksonville! If you’re moving here, read on to find out what it’s like living in the Gateway to Florida!
Here at iStorage, we’re Florida storage experts. If you decide to move to Jacksonville after reading our pros and cons, rent a storage unit with us to make your move that much easier. If you have questions or need advice, you can chat online with a friendly manager anytime!
The Pros of Living in Jacksonville, FL
PRO 1: No Matter Where You Live in Jacksonville, The Beach is Close
People move to Jacksonville for the weather and its abundance of beautiful beaches. Fact is, when you live here, you’re always close to the beach. It doesn’t matter what part of the city you live in; you can get to the beach relatively quickly. Some people live so close they can walk or take a bicycle to get there! For most, though, the time to get to Jacksonville’s surf is under an hour. That’s a real bonus for folks who love spending the day with their toes in the sand!
PRO 2: The Weather is Almost Perfect Living in Jacksonville, FL
One of the benefits of Jacksonville is that it doesn’t have torturous heat like in the south. We also have somewhat of a change of the four seasons. Yes, Jacksonville can turn on the heat in summer, but for fewer weeks than further south. The humidity here is also more tolerable and not nearly as oppressive.
Another interesting fact is that hurricanes usually miss Jacksonville. The last real hurricane was 1999’s Hurricane Floyd, but even that storm did minimal damage. In other words, storm season won’t stress you out when you live in lovely Jacksonville.
PRO 3: There are Many Diverse Neighborhoods Living in Jacksonville, FL
Jacksonville has a little something for everyone in terms of friendly neighborhoods. Young families looking for a home in a good school district will find plenty. Retirees more interested in communal living have all sorts of choices in Jacksonville. Young professionals will find several choices with excellent access to Jacksonville’s downtown!
PRO 4: Jacksonville Public Transport System is Affordable
One of the biggest problems many cities have is a lack of affordable public transport. Jacksonville does not share that problem. It offers dependable daily service at affordable rates.
PRO 5: Jacksonville is One of Florida’s Most Affordable Cities
It might surprise you that Jacksonville is one of Florida’s most affordable cities. With an overall score of 93.5 out of 100, we’re nearly 7 points lower than the national average. Healthcare and groceries are below the national average, but the saving grace is Jacksonville’s housing cost. That is an excellent 78/100! (You can read more about the cost of living in Jacksonville here.)
The Cons of Living in Jacksonville, FL
CON 1: Traffic Can be Problematic in Jacksonville, Even On a Good Day
Being a popular Florida city means Jacksonville is growing like crazy. It also means that, for every new family that moves in, more cars are on the road. Also, there’s construction going on everywhere. (Being this close to sea level and continuous water exposure can be very damaging to roads.) All of that boils down to one thing; major traffic headaches practically every day of the week. That’s true even on the weekend, although it’s usually a little bit better.
CON 2: You’ll Make Less Income in Jacksonville
If you’re looking for a long-term career, Jacksonville might not be the best choice. The reason; salaries are lower here than in most other major US cities. Miami, New York, Los Angeles, and Atlanta might be better choices with higher pay and benefits.
CON 3: Jacksonville Has a Poor Walkability Score
For many people, walking, running, and biking are very important. In Jacksonville, that’s a problem, as the walkability of our city is relatively low. How low? We get a score of 26 from WalkScore, which is terrible news for those with walking shoes. Yes, some neighborhoods are more walkable. However, it’s not generally easy to put feet to concrete in Jacksonville.
CON 4: You Can’t Fly International Direct Living in Jacksonville, FL
For people who travel internationally, living in Jacksonville can be problematic. The reason why is that our major airports don’t have direct flights overseas. In almost every case, you need to get a connecting flight. Some folks even travel to another city in Florida like Orlando, which is 2 1/2 hours away. Either way, it’s inconvenient and adds an extra trip to any international journey.
CON 5: Living in Jacksonville, FL Gets a C- for Crime and Safety
While not the worst in the United States, Jacksonville isn’t the best for safety. It’s not one of the worst “living in Jacksonville Florida pros and cons”, but it’s certainly not the best. (We’re higher than the national average but not off the charts, thank goodness.) Most of Jacksonville’s neighborhoods, thankfully, are quiet, safe, and enjoyable.
PROS and CONS of Living in Jacksonville, FL
And there you have them, The Top 5 Pros and Cons of Living in Jacksonville, FL. We’re iStorage, your Florida storage unit experts, and we hope you enjoyed our info and advice! If you have questions about self-storage or need advice, you can chat online with a friendly manager anytime!