Jacksonville, a metropolitan center of over one million people, is a friendly and comfortable place - a coastal community of neighborhoods as unique as the people who live in them. From luxury condo high-rises overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, to grand historic homes, to custom-built new communities in every style imaginable, there is a place for you to feel at home. Home of the NFL Jaguars, The PGA Tour, the ATP Tennis Tour, and the U.S.15K Championship Gate River Run Jacksonville is a city that celebrates the sun. Outdoor activities abound from deep sea fishing to surfing, boating and scuba diving. With 68 miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline and over 300 miles of river, Jacksonville is a sportsman's paradise. Play golf year-round at the many courses that are close to nearly every neighborhood throughout the city. The World Golf Hall of Fame and one of the most famous holes in all of golf - the # 17 island green at TPC Sawgrass - are just two more reasons that the metro Jacksonville area is a world-wide golf destination. Add to that our fantastic climate and low cost of living - Jacksonville is the most affordable major city in Florida - and there's no wonder why this region keeps growing. With a bevy of top companies to choose from and new ones moving into the community daily, Jacksonville offers ample employment opportunities, has an attractive housing market, and a temperate climate of four seasons without snow.
Neighborhoods
Jacksonville has a variety of homes and neighborhoods to suit every taste and budget. Whether it's a stately manor on the river, a condominium at the beach, a contemporary or traditional single family residence in a quiet or gated neighborhood, an expansive estate or a townhouse downtown Jacksonville feels like home. Take a look at a brief description of some of Jacksonville's communities, neighborhood by neighborhood.
Arlington / Ft. Caroline
This community has abundant waterfront property, surrounded by the St. Johns River on the west and north and the Intracoastal Waterway on the east. Fort Caroline National Park overlooks the site of a former colony of French Huguenots. Jacksonville University, Jones College and a small airfield are located in Arlington. While there are many apartment complexes, homes come in all styles and price ranges. Arlington has easy access to schools, shopping, churches and downtown.
Jacksonville Area Beaches
Beach communities in the metro Jacksonville are include Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fernandina Beach and Amelia Island. Located within one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the country, beach residents enjoy all the amenities and modern infrastructure of a large city and all the hospitality of a small hometown. The beaches offer a diversity of neighborhoods, each with a unique coastal Florida personality. Atlantic, Neptune and Jacksonville beaches are bordered by the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. Atlantic and Neptune beaches are made mainly residential with single-family homes and public beach access. Look for entertainment, shopping and dining along Atlantic Boulevard and A1A. Jacksonville Beach is further south and offers a mix of residential, commercial, retail and light industrial sites. With miles of white sandy beaches and a mild, breezy climate, residents and visitors enjoy year-round golfing, boating, fishing, tennis, and other outdoor sports. A variety of festivals offer music, food, and fun throughout the spring and summer. Although tourism is a major economic generator, there are no spring break crowds at Jacksonville's beaches, only family-oriented tourism which includes events like Friday night Moonlight Movies and the Summer Jazz Concert Series. Although Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, and Jacksonville Beach are part of Duval County's consolidated government, the three beach cities voted in 1968 to maintain their own identity and city governments. Each beach city has established a government that includes a city manager, a mayor and a city council. For information about the Beaches Chamber, a division of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce that serves more than 400 member businesses, call (904) 249-3868
Clay County / Orange Park
Located south of the city on the west side of the St. Johns River, Orange Park's rural pastoral qualities and proximity to Jacksonville make it a popular residential area. Orange Park is home to St. Johns River Community College, one of the region's major shopping malls, country clubs, golf courses and medical facilities. Waterways are plentiful and easily accessible for boating, fishing, kayaking or jet skiing. Clay County has three other incorporated municipalities: Green Cove Springs, Keystone Heights and Penney Farms. Middleburg offers rural areas for hunting, horseback riding and bird watching. .
Intracoastal West
Buffering the Beaches from The Southside, the Intracoastal West area features homes from middle income to the among the most lavish in the metropolitan area. Just across the Intracoastal Waterway from the Beaches and minutes from downtown, Intracoastal West features everything Florida. From golf to kayaking, if you like being outdoors, this may be the part of town for you.
Mandarin
Primarily rural until the end of the 1960s when developers discovered this area, Mandarin has grown steadily since. The Mandarin Community Club works diligently to maintain the community's architectural integrity. Mandarin is rich in history, and for years preservation groups have sought to maintain that history either in family holdings, trusts, church and school archives. Homes range from estates on the St. Johns River to country homes including horse stables.
Nassau County / Fernandina Beach / Amelia Island
Just north of Jacksonville on I-95 is Nassau County, where Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach are located. This area is known around the globe as a resort destination with exclusive oceanfront properties and intracoastal waterfront property. Year-round residents have a variety of single family homes, apartments and condominiums to choose from at varying prices. Downtown Fernandina is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for late Victorian architecture preservation. The area features bed and breakfast inns, restaurants and recreational activities, historic Centre Street and Fort Clinch State Park. Fernandina is the home of the annual Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival. Stay the weekend at the world famous Amelia Island Plantation. Visit the world famous Ritz-Carlton Resort, play golf at the world class venues available here or take a day cruise from downtown Fernandina.
Northside
North Jacksonville runs roughly from 20th Street north to the county border and from Interstate 295 on the west almost to the Atlantic Ocean. This is a vast area with waterways, new housing developments, and attractions, including the Anheuser Busch Brewery, the expanding Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, Huguenot Memorial Park and Little Talbot Island Park. Growth is due in part to the opening of the Dames Point Bridge in 1989, the expansion of the airport, and business activity in Imeson Industrial Park and the International Tradeport. North Jacksonville has convenient shopping, restaurants, medical facilities, schools, churches, and residential communities, and is only minutes from Downtown.
Ortega
Bordered on the east by the St. Johns River, to the north and west by the Ortega River and south of Riverside, this community is a peninsula on the river. Convenient private schools, area churches, and small parks along the river contribute to Ortega's charm. The Florida Yacht Club and Timuquana Country Club offer private social and recreational opportunities. Worth Magazine ranked Ortega 46th among the nation's top 50 wealthiest neighborhoods. The area offers just about any style of architecture and homes range in size from average sites to stately, sprawling estates. The 1920s Ortega River Bridge is one of the oldest functioning drawbridges.
Riverside
This community is bordered to the west by Highway 17 and the river to the east, between Interstate 10 to the north and the Ortega River to the south. These are well-established, historic neighborhoods on the west bank of the St. Johns River. There are five public schools located within walking distance of both neighborhoods. Riverside has become an attractive spot for young professionals who want a short commute to work. Homes include modest duplexes to elegantly restored historic residences and waterfront estates. Riverside is a medical hub with the St. Vincent's Medical Complex and private medical offices scattered along the river.
St. Johns County / Ponte Vedra Beach / Sawgrass
Ponte Vedra Beach and Sawgrass are located in the northeast corner of St. Johns County, just south of Jacksonville Beach along A1A. This upscale community stretches along five miles of the Atlantic Ocean, aside carefully preserved wetlands. Many new neighborhoods have been built in this area in the last few years. Home to the PGA TOUR and the ATP Association of Tennis Professionals headquarters, Ponte Vedra Beach is the also home of arguably the most famous hole in golf - the #17 Island Green of the world renowned TPC Sawgrass course. There are more than 150 holes of golf and 60 tennis courts in the area as well as public beach access.
San Jose and San Marco
San Jose and San Marco are bordered to the west by the St. Johns River and by U.S. 1 to the east. A popular area for young professionals, San Jose and San Marco are close to the river and downtown. The area features boutique shopping and entertainment in San Marco Square, and private country clubs and private schools along San Jose Boulevard. Spanish architecture is most common in this area. A number of public schools are within these neighborhoods, enabling students to walk to school.
Southside
Centrally located, the Southside is bordered by Arlington to the north and east, St. Johns County to the south and San Marco and I-95 to the west. This is literally the southernmost area of urban Jacksonville and is in the middle of all other Jacksonville communities. Commuting, shopping and recreation are convenient. Housing includes single-family homes, condominiums and apartment complexes. Residents enjoy local golf courses, abundant dining and entertainment, and easy access to the beaches via J. Turner Butler Boulevard.
Downtown / Springfield
Downtown and Springfield offer opportunities for entertainment and the convenience of living near Jacksonville's business district. Downtown's borders are the St. John's River to the south, the Stadium District to the east, I-95 to the west, and 1st Street on the north. The rejuvenated Brooklyn area is just the latest example of the new renovation of Downtown living, Historic Springfield is bordered by Hogan's Creek at the south, railroad lines at the east and north and Boulevard Street at the west. Springfield, founded in 1869, is Jacksonville’s first and oldest subdivision. Its wide streets and blocks of architecturally distinguished houses have acted as a catalyst to preserve and revitalize the neighborhood.
Westside
The Westside is a large community starting just north of I-10 to Clay County, bordered on the east by I-295 and stretching west to Baker County and east to Riverside. Four small incorporated towns make up the Westside: Baldwin, Marietta, Maxville and Whitehouse. Other neighborhoods on this side of Jacksonville are Ortega Forest, Ortega Hills, Argyle, Lakeshore, Venetia, Cedar Hills, Hyde Grove, Murray Hill and Normandy. Much of the area is wooded, offering hunting and outdoor activities. Both NAS Jacksonville and Cecil Spaceport / Jacksonville Jetport are located here, as well as Herlong Airport, a small, aviation fixed base. Homes and condos are available in all sizes and price ranges.