Not drinking water, silly. We’re talking about the fact that with 1,100 miles of navigable water Jax (yes people from Jacksonville call it that) has more shoreline than any other city in the nation. That’s 22 miles of beaches, 40 miles of the Intracoastal Waterway and the longest stretch of St Johns River in Florida. Trust us, if you’re interested in living on or near water it’s hard to beat Jax.

Notes from a local about the access to water:
*It's also one of the few places where you can get the river and beach Florida landscapes at once. There are incredible state parks, beaches are clean and beautiful, the waves are perfect for boogie or surfboarding, and the airport is one of the cleanest and nicest I have ever been to.*

If you're interested in hearing from other locals check out: [**The Reviews**](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/jacksonville/reviews).



Water

The Best Thing About Jacksonville?

Hard to believe but Jacksonville is the largest city by area in the lower 48 of these United States (damn you Alaska!). What issues can come with that much land when it’s also packed with people? For starters it can be a visual mess with all the sprawl, and crime is a problem given the difficulty supporting that much spread, but on the daily the challenge is getting around. You’re going to have to drive here given the thin to nonexistent public transportation that makes most cities with this much size face a similar issue.

Here's a local's pov on on the sprawl:
*Huge portions of the city look like the average exit on 95 south because of the glut of suburban sprawl allowed to take place here. it leeches the city for all intents and purposes and it’s why you have to drive 30 minutes to get most places. also parking lots. everywhere.*

If you're interested in hearing from other locals check out: [**The Reviews**](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/jacksonville/reviews).

Size

The Worst Thing About Jacksonville?

In terms of Jacksonville’s vibes, residents often claim that the city feels more like a true southern city than the rest of its Floridian neighbors. Residents are generally associated with having ‘courtly’ personalities and a strong appreciation for patriotism. A lot of residents take pride in fitting seamlessly into the ‘small southern town’ persona and Jacksonville is often quoted as being a strongly religious area.

Thanks to the combination of weather and geographical location, a lot of social life in Jacksonville happens without a roof. Jacksonville has more shoreline than *checks notes* any city in the United States, with Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach and Atlantic Beach being three of the most popular. In addition to the shoreline, Jacksonville also boasts the largest urban park system in the nation, with over 80,000 acres worth of green space to help residents take advantage of a climate with winter temps often in the 60s. Jacksonville is also one of the nation’s best kept secrets for foodies, with a restaurant culture that rivals its neighbor Miami.

 If you're interested in knowing what goes on in Jacksonville check out the [**calendar of events**](https://www.visitjacksonville.com/events/). 

Lifestyle of Jacksonville

While the average salary in Jacksonville is slightly below the national average, the low cost of living and low taxes are two factors that residents point to as working to offset that. The hospitality industry in particular is on the rise in Jacksonville as out-of-towners travel to the Sunshine State to take advantage of, well, the sunshine. Financial staples Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan Bank are two big employers for those who are financially minded, and if you drive south from downtown you’ll find the massive Naval Air Station military base that many Jacksonville residents call their workplace. Railway giant CSX Transportation is also headquartered downtown for those with experience in the transportation trade.


Worklife of Jacksonville

They used to say Go West Young Man! (we don’t agree with the inherent misogyny in that expression but it’s a saying) and now the mantra seems to be to head south instead. Low or no taxes, sunny weather, booming economies are driving people to the sunshine states. What that means is the economies benefit from the spending, the services grow to support the new residents, and the energy of the cities gets upbeat. 

Go South Young Man!

Why You Should Move Here Now?

**The Best Thing About Jacksonville?** Water 

Not drinking water, silly. We’re talking about the fact that with 1,100 miles of navigable water Jax (yes people from Jacksonville call it that), has more shoreline than any other city in the nation. That’s 22 miles of beaches, 40 miles of the Intracoastal Waterway and the longest stretch of St Johns River in Florida. Trust us, if you’re interested in living on or near water it’s hard to beat Jax. 

**The Worst Thing About Jacksonville?** Size

Hard to believe but Jacksonville is the largest city by area in the lower 48 of these United States (damn you Alaska!). What issues come with that much land when it’s also packed with people? For starters it can be a visual mess with all the sprawl, and crime is a problem given the difficulty supporting that much spread, but on the daily the challenge is getting around. You’re going to have to drive here given the thin to nonexistent public transportation that makes most cities with this much size face a similar issue. 

**How You Living?** On The Water

There are 500 neighborhoods in Jacksonville so it goes without saying there are many different ways to live here. Many of them are built around the River (it ain’t called The River City for nothin) or the beaches. Some of the most coveted neighborhoods are south of Downtown, like Riverside or Avondale, which are primarily residential but also integrated into cool, artsy business districts, which make them ideal for the youngsters. Mandarin is the southernmost neighborhood and considered by many the premier neighborhood in the city due to its beautiful homes, natural beauty and riverside activities for singles and families. It will surprise many who look at Jacksonville that while the ocean beach areas are wonderful, many of the most popular neighborhoods are on the St Johns River, and you’re just or more likely living along that body of water as the Atlantic. 

**Why You Should Move Here Now?** Go South Young Man!

They used to say Go West Young Man! (we don’t agree with the inherent misogyny in that expression but it’s a saying) and now the mantra seems to be to head south instead. Low or no taxes, sunny weather, booming economies are driving people to the sunshine states. What that means is the economies benefit from the spending, the services grow to support the new residents, and the energy of the cities gets upbeat. 


Downtown is the center of the action for Young Professionals in Jacksonville. In addition to being the center of the business district, it's also the center of the city for dining, bars, performing arts, museums, sports arenas, and direct access to the river for recreation. It also has the highest concentration of apartments and bars in the city. 
- Downtown
- Five Points

Young Professionals

Downtown

If you favor a groovier and quieter vibe than downtown then look at Five Points. The coolest area in the city, filled with vintage shops, and plenty of entertainment options. While there are high rises in the area the housing choices trend towards bungalows and craft-style homes. 
- Five Points Village
- The Beaches


DINKs/SINKs

Five Points Village

Jacksonville doesn’t have a central LGBTQ+ neighborhood as some big cities do but Riverside is a good place to start your search. Home to the LGBTQ+ community center it is also where the annual pride parade is held. San Marco is another option if Art Deco architecture and upscale shopping and dining is your thing. 
- Riverside
- San Marco
- Old Ortega
- Five Points


LGBTQ+ 

Riverside

Northside is a hugely popular area for families with neighborhoods like Yellow Bluff Landing & Oceanway getting a lot of the attention. Close to downtown and the beaches it also has nature preserves, state parks for getting the kids outside to play. Tons of bike-friendly streets, great homes, and family-friendly dining options. 
- Northside
- The Beaches
- Nocatee


Families

Northside

Jacksonville is hugely popular with retirees with an incredible variety of open neighborhoods, gated 55+ communities, and structured retirement facilities throughout the area. Riverside is a popular neighborhood for retirees who want an active social and cultural experience all within walking distance. Tons of waterfront condo and townhome options make it an easy to manage choice if you’re not interested in the more structured 55+ communities. 
- Riverside
- Sweetwater / Del Webb Community
- Bear Creek Community


Retirees

Sweetwater

Jacksonville

**What is it like to live in Jacksonville, Florida, USA?**

Hi, Jacksonville is known as the “Gateway to the South.” It is the first large city you enter driving south on I95 from Georgia. Jacksonville is the largest city in the US in square miles (lower 48)It is 747 sq mi. It is very spread out. Metro Jacksonville consists of 5 counties: Duval (most of Jacksonville), Clay. (Orange Park, Green Cove Springs, Middleburg, Fleming Island, Keystone Heights), St. John’s (St. Augustine, parts of Beaches, St. John’s, Hastings), Nassau (Fernandina Beach, Yulee, Callahan) and Baker (macclenny, parts of St. Marys). Duval is the county that includes the city of Jacksonville. It is home to the NFL Jaguars. It is known for its beautiful beaches. Jax (Jax is what residents call our city) is basically an overgrown small town, even though we have over a million people. Downtown does not have the attractions of other large cities, even though the City and investors have tried hard to develop it. 

It does not have the amenities that would draw people downtown. We do have a nice art museum and a beautiful state of the art public library. We also have a great baseball stadium that used to be the home of the AAA team, Jacksonville Suns, but the team recently was renamed the Jacksonville Shrimps ( which most residents balked about the name change). It is a great arena and very family friendly. The football stadium houses the Jaguars and the once a year game between the college teams of Florida Gators (UF) and the Georgia Bulldogs (UG). The Jags have a following, but the stadium is rarely full and most can’t afford tickets and the food/drink that goes along with the NFL experience. Downtown also has an excellent performing arts center and coliseum. We do get a lot of Broadway musicals, the symphony orchestra and big name concerts.

**What is it like to live in Jacksonville, Florida, USA?**

The short, but accurate answer is: if you are from Jacksonville, yes you most likely think it is a great place to live.

If you are from Jax and haven't traveled to many other cities in the U.S., then you KNOW Jax is a great place to live.

But if you have visited other large cities, you will know that Jax is not a great place to live

Lack of culture. Horrible education system in Duval county. And look up the % of residents who have college degrees vs other cities. Wow. Makes for interesting days though. And the crime - it's a constant “who got killed today?” on the news. Good ole boy politics (backwards conservatives run the show). HOT + HUMID = miserable.

No downtown nightlife or culture still. The beaches are OK. Much better beaches throughout Florida.

I have lived in Jax too long. I have 11.5 more years until my son is grown and and I can move again :)

**What do you like/dislike about living in Jacksonville?**

There is a ton of beauty all over Jacksonville if you take the time to truly explore. From the largest parks system in the country to sprawling examples of "urban decay", there's so much to just see. Here is my Instagram for some examples: https://www.instagram.com/jacksonvillephoto/.

I come from a small-to-mid sized city in South Carolina. Before that it was the middle of nowhere mountains of North Carolina. Growing up, options when you went out was to go to a lake, go hiking somewhere, or don't go out at all. The only shopping was Wal Mart, and it was 20 minutes away at highway speeds. The closest mall was a two hour drive. Here, there is always something to do.

It's also one of the few places where you can get the river and beach Florida landscapes at once. There are incredible state parks, beaches are clean and beautiful, the waves are perfect for boogie or surfboarding, and the airport is one of the cleanest and nicest I have ever been to.

Being right on 95 makes it easy to hop on and drive wherever you want. 295 is a convenient circle around the whole city as well. The restaurant scene is stellar, and there are bars-a-plenty.

Additionally, I've noticed that the people here are so NICE. So much more so than other cities. People make eye contact, people hold doors open for you, people greet one another, even if they are complete strangers, in most cases. In general, everybody just seems happier than in places like Atlanta, San Francisco, etc. Even in my wanderings downtown, the homeless are always kind when they speak.

**What do you like/dislike about living in Jacksonville?**

Pros:

-You should never be bored. So many things to do and go see. Fishing, Football, beach, rivers, etc...

-Great location. Close proximity to the ocean, theme parks down in Orlando, cruises out of Jacksonville and Port Canaveral

-Weather is great year round. You can wear shorts and flip-flops in December sometimes.

Cons:

Traffic, with so many people moving to Jacksonville it seems to be getting more and more crowded everyday.

-Heat and Humidity, for some people it's just too much. Call me crazy but I actually like the humidity, so for me this is not so much a con. July and August can be brutal if your coming from a much milder climate up north.

Jacksonville, Florida

BORTLES!!!

Looklyloo Score: 70