2023 Best Places to Live in the Jacksonville Area

• Suburb of Jacksonville, FL

• •
  Rating 4.45 out of 5  38 reviews

Current Resident: I just moved to Nocatee about a year ago, and I fell in love with it! It's a community with different, smaller sub-communities within it, and everyone that lives here is extremely friendly and welcoming. By living here, you gain access to many of its amenities, such as the gym, tennis, pickle ball & volleyball courts, and even the waterpark! You also are allowed to attend Nocatee's exclusive events, such as Food Truck Friday Night! One of my favorite things about living here is seeing everyone drive around on their golf carts (yes, this is a golf cart community!) Overall, Nocatee has many things to do for everyone of all ages, and its as if everyday is a vacation!... Read 38 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 19,601

• Neighborhood in Jacksonville, FL

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  6 reviews

Parent: The area is pretty quiet most of the time and there are new multi level communities being built and added. A new elementary school was just added within the past year, making it very convenient to the neighborhoods in the area.... Read 6 reviews

• grade A+

• grade B+

• Population 5,977

• Suburb of Jacksonville, FL

• •
  Rating 4.45 out of 5  22 reviews

Current Resident: Palm Valley is a nice community. It is a bit of a melting pot of people from across the United States who have come here. It is friendly and very safe. I would say it is one of the safer communities across the country. It is great that you are at the beach, can play golf and can travel to other cities/communities very easily. It is centrally located from many other great places that are easy to get to.... Read 22 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 20,115

• Suburb of Jacksonville, FL

• •
  Rating 4.2 out of 5  88 reviews

Current Resident: Fleming Island offers a great combination of very nice houses with mostly paid off (CDD bonds) HOA amenities. HOA fees are very low compared to South Florida for example. Where we live, Eagle Harbor, we have a golf course with low green fees, two swim parks, boat docks and tons of playgrounds and parks. Fleming Island is also comparatively safe (especially compared to nearby Jacksonville). The island (peninsula really) also has a movie theatre, large box stores, a hospital (Baptist) and many restaurants. Homeowner and care insurance premiums are also very reasonable compared to other communities closer to the beach. The population does generally skew rather older but this has a charm all in itself. However, for those seeking a lot of nightlife and/or diversity and/or very progressive outlooks on life, will likely not enjoy it. Fleming Island generally is very patriotic and rather conservative. The scenery is also very beautiful with Doctors Lake, the Saint Johns River and forests.... Read 88 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 29,505

• Suburb of Jacksonville, FL

• •
  Rating 3.96 out of 5  105 reviews

Current Resident: I have always lived here. It is for the most part safe and a happy town. However, there is a bubble view by parents/kids that creates some risky behaviors and ideals, as kids think nothing can harm them.... Read 105 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 34,469

• Neighborhood in Jacksonville, FL

• •
  Rating 4.33 out of 5  9 reviews

Current Resident: Avondale is a great place to live thanks to the fantastic locals, gorgeous homes, and fantastic shops and restaurants.... Read 9 reviews

• grade A+

• grade B minus

• Population 6,025

• Neighborhood in Jacksonville, FL

• •
  Rating 4.33 out of 5  33 reviews

Current Resident: Jacksonville/Atlantic/Neptune beach are all a small strip of beach towns in Florida that is like no other. The cozy feel of local spots, the non touristy beaches, and the large variety of pockets of Jacksonville make it an all in one city. It’s not a sleepy beach town. Thriving with young people and families.... Read 33 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A minus

• Population 16,049

• Neighborhood in Jacksonville, FL

• •
  Rating 3.33 out of 5  15 reviews

Current Resident: Fits my needs to a tee! Vibrant area with so much to offer. I'm close to the beaches, to great shopping, to almost anything - 15 -20 minutes away tops.... Read 15 reviews

• grade A+

• grade B

• Population 6,307

• Neighborhood in Jacksonville, FL

• •
  Rating 3.75 out of 5  8 reviews

Current Resident: Deerwood is the most centrally located neighborhood in Jacksonville. Only 15 minutes to the beach, 25 minutes to the airport, 5 minutes to 3 major highways and 10 minutes to Town Center restaurants and shopping. It is a gated, country club neighborhood with a private entrance to Jacksonville Country Day School, big lots, a park, optional boat/RV storage/country club. There are a range of prices and sizes of homes from $250,000 condos/townhouses to homes over a million dollars. The HOA fees are some of the lowest in the city. There are food truck Mondays, great... firework displays and it is a beautiful place to walk, bike or run. You get a lot for your money here and generations of families tend to stay.... Read 8 reviews

• grade A+

• grade B+

• Population 12,083

• Neighborhood in Jacksonville, FL

• •
  Rating 4.17 out of 5  6 reviews

Niche User: Jacksonville is a great metropolitan city with a lot of job opportunities for newly graduated students. The weather is good most of the time, and there are a few large shopping malls, it's close to the beach, and has a wide variety of cuisine.... Read 6 reviews

• grade A+

• grade B

• Population 4,644

• Neighborhood in Jacksonville, FL

• •
  Rating 4.33 out of 5  9 reviews

Current Resident: I grew up on Forest Blvd s. But have lived on loys drive and Dalry Drive, I attended Windy Hill Elementary and can vouch for the wonderful teachers there. This is a wonderful neighborhood my whole family has lived in this neighborhood.... Read 9 reviews

• grade A+

• grade B minus

• Population 14,387

• Neighborhood in Jacksonville, FL

• •
  Rating 3.9 out of 5  30 reviews

Current Resident: I have live here for a little over seven months and it seems to be really nice. There was one bad thing that sticks out in my mind and that is the fact that someone went into my car twice and stole money and a car charger. This type of thing can happen anywhere, but it is so sad to know that people have to do that. The great thing is how close the apartment is to the highway, which makes for a quick commute. Overall, I like it here and I look forward to spending more time at the beach!... Read 30 reviews

• grade A+

• grade B

• Population 13,358

• Neighborhood in Jacksonville, FL

• •
  Rating 4.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Former Resident: Southside is a growing residential area that is a 15 minute commute from Downtown. It offers a wider variety of places to eat with a state of the art movie theatre at Tinseltown, a large shopping district at the Avenues mall and Town Center, and has the top 5 grocery chains located within miles of each other. You can take JTB Blvd to reach the beach in 15-20 minutes... Read 2 reviews

• grade A+

• grade B

• Population 2,497

• Town in Florida

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  31 reviews

Current Resident: I have been a resident in World Golf Village for about 14 years and I cannot say enough good things about it! This area provides excellent education and recreational services to children, and provides a lot of job opportunities to adults. I always feel safe in this area because there is great law enforcement/fire stations close by. World Golf Village is continuing to grow and I cannot wait to see what is yet to come!... Read 31 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 19,975

• Neighborhood in Jacksonville, FL

• •
  Rating 3.33 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: This is my favorite area of Jax. I've lived at the beach, on the Northside, and in Southeen Orange Park, but San Jose Forest keeps me close to downtown, in a nice suburban atmosphere. Plenty of delicious mom & pop restaurants, great small locally owned markets, convenience shops and schools, private & public, are scattered about. I have wonderful neighbors & a YMCA in walking distance. Life is perfect here!... Read 3 reviews

• grade A+

• grade B

• Population 970

• Neighborhood in Jacksonville, FL

• •
  Rating 3.86 out of 5  7 reviews

Niche User: This area seems to be relatively safe. Police respond quickly when called. Neighbors call the police if they see something suspicious, but do not actively look for crime. However, this neighborhood is very active so any crimes would most likely be seen.... Read 7 reviews

• grade A

• grade B

• Population 2,352

• Neighborhood in Jacksonville, FL

• •
  Rating 3.92 out of 5  39 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived in mandarin for a few years now. It has more character than many of the "suburban sprawl" areas that I've seen. This is mostly due to many officials, planning groups, and committees ensuring there are tons of trees around. There is definitely too many big box chain stores and restaurants, but there are still TONS of locally owned and operated gems to find. You just have to know where to look! It is not a very diverse area, there are also very very few apartments. Almost everybody here owns their homes. School districts (from what I know) are quite good, especially for Florida. Mandarin needs more community amenities. We have a few good parks, but need public pools, river activities, more nightlife, etc.... Read 39 reviews

• grade A

• grade B+

• Population 8,658

• Neighborhood in Jacksonville, FL

• grade A

• grade B

• Population 1,676

• Suburb of Jacksonville, FL

• •
  Rating 4.12 out of 5  25 reviews

Current Resident: Would like to see more late-night spots. But, overall a great place to raise a family, the beach is always a great place to be. The poles in Mayport is a pretty good surf spot, so grateful for that. Public school system could use some work as well. Duval County can be unreliable and my swim season was shut down and we could not compete at Districts with everyone else. The weather does get annoying with how much it fluctuates, but we have a lot of pretty sunrises and sunsets. I am confident in saying that the beaches have very well trained life guards and is a great place to go and have fun. A lot of friendly people, at the beach there is a good community and you can usually go around and see plenty of people that you know. In the winter time, Deck The Chairs is a awesome place to go, whether you have kids or your a teenager. The lights are amazing and there really is a great feeling of community and holiday cheer. I volunteer there and I can say that the people who run it really care.... Read 25 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 23,492

• Neighborhood in Jacksonville, FL

• •
  Rating 4.11 out of 5  18 reviews

Current Resident: Amazing area. It has the beach, it's very close to downtown Jacksonville and has just about anything you could ever think of. I love that there isn't much traffic, yet there is always something going on and somewhere to go. I love this area!... Read 18 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 11,504

• Neighborhood in Jacksonville, FL

• •
  Rating 3.47 out of 5  15 reviews

Current Resident: The traffic can get pretty bad on 17. Lots of noise from cars, trains, and planes. A nice little neighborhood otherwise.... Read 15 reviews

• grade A

• grade B minus

• Population 2,265

• Suburb of Jacksonville, FL

• •
  Rating 4.27 out of 5  11 reviews

Current Resident: Located on the First Coast Beaches, Sawgrass is like the Goldilocks of locations... Not too hot like South Florida, not too cold like GA, and higher. We have top-rated schools for children, many places to dine, golf courses galore and great neighbors from around the country. This is Palm Beach without the stuffiness (and the prices). Homes run from lovely condos to multi-million dollar homes overlooking the ocean. The famous TPC Sawgrass is in the heart of the area. There are excellent hospitals in the area, a great orchestra in Jacksonville, and the Jacksonville sports teams. It is a short drive to St Augustine for shopping districts and history. Check it out!... Read 11 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 4,634

• Suburb of Jacksonville, FL

• •
  Rating 4.04 out of 5  166 reviews

Current Resident: Great community, much to do here, amazing schooling, definitely a friendly neighborhood, and enviornment, safe for the most part, weather is absolutely beautiful, beaches and fun places like Tampa and Orlando aren't far at all, nature-driven, working environment when coming in contact with people is nice. Schools really care about children and public safety and we are constantly expanding which is great! A lot of stores around and new things to try and learn and eat. All n all a great place to settle down and live and start a family. Definitely come plan on visiting at least it's a wonderful place.... Read 166 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 8,682

• Neighborhood in Jacksonville, FL

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Current Resident: My neighborhood is absolutely gorgeous! Tons of birds, lakes, trees, solidly built postmodern ranch style homes. Close to San Marco, and downtown… And just 15 minutes from the beach. Downtown Jacksonville is coming alive and becoming more vibrant… This city is overall amazing. Been here 54 years, and compared to all big cities I would bring Jacksonville among the tops. Property Angels Jacksonville... Read 1 review

• grade A

• grade B

• Population 5,671

• Suburb of Jacksonville, FL

• •
  Rating 4.67 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: Neptune Beach is a very family friendly town with no buildings over two stories. It is a very safe neighborhood where most people know their neighbors. There are many dining options from casual to upscale. The beach is beautiful with plenty of fishing available. The views of the sunrises are exceptional with many joggers on the beach at sunrise. The town is very pet friendly with a great dog park available to the public. Our city council members actually listen to what to people of the town want . Our police department is very good and the police do not have an attitude problem. They are really there to serve and to protect our community. We have wonderful parks with trails, volleyball, tennis, pickle ball, pavilions with tables and a great playground for children.... Read 3 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 6,880