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Jacksonville, FL

Frequently asked questions

Jacksonville, FL

Jacksonville is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of northeastern Florida. It is the seat of Duval County,[9] with which the City of Jacksonville consolidated in 1968. It is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020.

City-county consolidation greatly increased Jacksonville's official population and extended its boundaries, placing most of Duval County's population within the new municipal limits; Jacksonville grew to 900 square miles (2,300 km²).

As of July 2022, Jacksonville's population was 971,319, while the population of Duval County was about 1 million. After consolidation, Jacksonville became the most populous city in Florida and the Southeastern United States, and the largest in the South outside the state of Texas. With a population of 1,733,937, the Jacksonville metropolitan area ranks as Florida's fourth-largest metropolitan region. The metropolitan area consists of Clay County, St. Johns County, Nassau County, and Baker County.

Jacksonville straddles the St. Johns River in the First Coast region of northeastern Florida, about 12 miles (19 kilometers) south of the Georgia state line (25 mi or 40 km to the urban core/downtown) and 350 miles (560 km) north of Miami. The Jacksonville Beaches communities are along the adjacent Atlantic coast. The area was originally inhabited by the Timucua people, and in 1564 was the site of the French colony of Fort Caroline, one of the earliest European settlements in what is now the continental United States. Under British rule, a settlement grew at the narrow point in the river where cattle crossed, known as Wacca Pilatka to the Seminole and the Cow Ford to the British. A platted town was established there in 1822, a year after the United States gained Florida from Spain; it was named after Andrew Jackson, the first military governor of the Florida Territory and seventh President of the United States.

Harbor improvements since the late 19th century have made Jacksonville a major military and civilian deep-water port. Its riverine location facilitates Naval Station Mayport, Naval Air Station Jacksonville, the U.S. Marine Corps Blount Island Command, and the Port of Jacksonville, Florida's largest seaport by volume. Jacksonville's military bases and the nearby Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay form the third largest military presence in the United States. Significant factors in the local economy include services such as banking, insurance, healthcare, and logistics. As with much of Florida, tourism is important to the Jacksonville area, particularly tourism related to golf with the PGA Tour headquarters located in nearby Ponte Vedra Beach. People from Jacksonville are known as Jacksonvillians and, informally, as Jaxsons or Jaxons (both derived from Jax, the shortened nickname for the city).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 874.3 square miles (2,264 km²), making Jacksonville the largest city in land area in the contiguous United States; of this, 86.66% (757.7 sq mi or 1,962 km²) is land and 13.34% (116.7 sq mi or 302 km²) is water. Jacksonville surrounds the town of Baldwin. Nassau County lies to the north, Baker County lies to the west, and Clay and St. Johns counties lie to the south. Jacksonville has a coast on the Atlantic Ocean with the Jacksonville Beaches. The city developed along both sides of the St. Johns River. The Trout River, a major tributary of the St. Johns River, is entirely within Jacksonville. Soil composition is primarily sand and clay rather than limestone, so few sinkholes develop; however, deep, large-diameter sinkholes do occur.

The city prioritizes health and wellness, offering residents access to various healthcare services. The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Orlando, Grande Lakes offers a luxurious retreat with a range of treatments including massages, facials, and body therapies. The Breakers Palm Beach is situated in Palm Beach, this historic resort features a lavish spa offering ocean-inspired treatments, wellness programs, and beauty services. Lapis Spa at Fontainebleau Miami Beach boasts a stunning design and a wide array of services such as massages, body scrubs, and hydrotherapy. Waldorf Astoria Spa, Boca Raton offers a tranquil setting with personalized treatments, relaxation lounges, and a full-service salon. The Spa at Naples Grande provides a peaceful atmosphere with services like massages, facials, and body wraps, along with a private outdoor meditation lounge. Acqualina Spa by ESPA focuses on holistic wellness with treatments inspired by European traditions and natural ingredients.

Top sites in Jacksonville, FL are Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, Cummer Museum, Kingsley Plantation, and The Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary. 

Population: 985,843 (2023). ZIP codes: 32099, 32201–32212, 32214–32241, 32244–32247, 32250, 32254–32260, 32266, 32267, 32277, 32290. Area codes: 904 and 324. Elevation: 16 ft (5 m). Area: 874.46 sq mi (2,264.84 km²).

FAQs

Is Jacksonville, FL a good place to live?

Jacksonville, Florida, is a great place to live if you’re looking for a reasonable cost of living, plenty of beach access, a southern feel, and a new home in the Sunshine State. Jacksonville also boasts an up-and-coming restaurant scene, several colleges, and a solid job market. If you’re moving to Jacksonville, Florida, for a new job, then you already know that opportunity is abundant, in the job market that has grown remarkably over the past decade. The average annual salary is nearly $52,000, which is lower than the national number, but then again, the cost of living in Jacksonville, FL, is well below the U.S.

What is Jacksonville, FL best known for?

Boasting 22 miles of beaches, Jacksonville, on Florida’s northeast coast, is a city of diverse neighborhoods with a top-notch arts and culture scene, unbeatable food, and a wide variety of family-friendly attractions, parks, and nature preserves. Families with children won’t want to miss seeing Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, the Museum of Science & History, or Tree Hill Nature Center, which has animal exhibits, walking trails, a kids’ museum, and a butterfly garden. When it comes to places to eat, Jacksonville’s diverse restaurants offer something for everyone. As “Florida’s Shrimp Capital,” Jacksonville is known for locally caught wild Atlantic shrimp, also called Mayport shrimp.

Is Jacksonville, FL a safe place to retire?

Jacksonville is the only city in Florida to make Forbes' list of the 25 best places to retire in 2023. The annual list looks at factors such as median home price, crime rate, taxes, air quality, access to healthcare, weather, and natural disaster risks. Jacksonville, which also made the 2022 list, got good marks for its median home price of $295,000, which is 22 percent below the national average. The list also cited the area's good air quality, abundance of parks, and high ratio of physicians per capita. Florida's lack of a state income tax also weighed in the city's favor.

Sources

City of Jacksonville

Wikipedia

PODS

Visit Florida

Marketplace

Ritz-Carlton Spa

Breakers Palm Beach

Lapis Spa at Fontainebleau Miami Beach

Waldorf Astoria Spa, Boca Raton

The Spa at Naples Grande

Acqualina Spa by ESPA

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens 

Cummer Museum

Kingsley Plantation 

The Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary

The content herein is provided for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Medical information changes constantly, and therefore the content on this website should not be assumed to be current, complete or exhaustive. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 9-1-1 (in the United States) immediately.