I lived here in Jax for nearly 13 years . - 12/21/2017

Here's what I've experienced so far. Most people are friendly. Some are just plain crazy (But that's mainly in the downtown area :P) If you're a tourist you might want to watch your stuff because people will take anything from you as long as it sells. I had an iphone that was stolen in a grocery store. And my bike was stolen at the Rosa Parks Bus Station. With 2 chains and a padlock. I even had a prepaid phone stolen once and it wasn't even in service. (I just used it for a radio) So that was a weird experience. The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office does not do police report on most stuff so that kind of sucks. Only if you have a serial number they can work with you. There's a lot of shooting and homicides here so what most of the commentators here say is true. But one thing I learned is, if you stay to yourself and mind your own business and don't get involved too much, people won't bother you. There's also a lot of sporting events and art exhibits and festivals downtown because Jacksonville is full of art and culture. It's also full of pan handlers and dope and heroin addicts on almost every corner. The smell of weed is always in the air, or on the bus. And there are a lot ALOT of homeless and a low income families and individuals. But not a lot of good help for them. And what I mean by that is, we have a lot of charities, churches and government places helping people with food, clothing and shelter and maybe paying a bill. But that's pretty much it. So, if you stayed at a shelter or some transitional housing place. Or if you are a first time worker or new to the city and need help finding a job. You're on your own. The most help you'll ever get is resume building and sometimes Career Source has a workshop but it's not very often. And not very effective when it comes to finding fast employment. But they do give good tips and I learned a lot so it makes a good class. Also there isn't any help with housing or cars. I know of one program that helped a family get housing but it was a very long process and they had to do so much for it. Staffing agencies make it difficult to find work for most people. Jacksonville has a lot of jobs and career opportunities but rather bad management and work ethics. In my experience I've worked many hours for several employers who didn't pay me all the money they owed. So that was rough. Also, in the past 10 years The JTA Bus System has improved drastically and it's a lot more reliable than it was in 2007 but still have a lot of flaws to work on. Minimum wage is still under $9.50 an hour. And if you're looking for a house to buy on average they are $60,000 -$200,000. Rent on average is $600-$900 a month for 1-3 beds. Or $400 for a cheap studio Apartment. But if it's super cheap, you might want to get a dog. Or a weapon. If you are looking for a nicer neighborhood. Riverside and Mandarin seem to be people's favorites. And San Marco which is right outside of downtown Jax. They're kind of small but they're nice and quiet. The Beaches area is great. They have nice little shops and this great restaurant called Joe's Crab Shack. I don't know if it's still open but I loved their fried fish. We have several Farmer's Markets and Whole Foods Health Stores and a couple of vegan restaurants and like 200 fitness clubs and gyms (well alot of them) so if you're into health you'll probably like it here. Oh and also it is true about the crazy drivers. People drive like maniacs and they don't care whether you have the right away or not. They will pull out in front of you and lay on their horn and yell at you for holding them up. I've been nearly hit on several occasions and I rammed into the back of a guy's car with my bike because I didn't have time to stop. It scared the crap out of him but I wasn't hurt Thank God lol. But I think it gave his car a dent. Some people on the road can be really rude and mean. So beware because we have a lot of hit and runs. I believe they say Jacksonville has the highest Pedestrian death rates in the US. So anyway, there's alot more but I've already written a book so I'm going to end it here. I hope this helps..

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Jacksonville...a growing city - 12/18/2017

Jacksonville is like any other city in the world!! There is racism everywhere in America, bad n good people as well as good and bad neighborhoods. I bought a home n moved here from NYC in 2012. I LOVE JAX but by now (5 years later) I am ready to buy and move a bit up North. No, not that far up...not to NYC!! but maybe a small beach town in Georgia. Why am I moving??? Because when I moved here it was quiet, peaceful n most people had manners. Now the area is becoming over populated. The traffic is beginning to get "nightmarish". I see out of town car plates on a daily which indicates new drivers to the area...and they are rude and aggressive. The housing prices are going higher!! A house that costed 50,000 5 yrs. ago is now 100,00 to 125,000! Overall JAX is a great city to live in. I have no small children therefore no concerns. If you like a big city with a small town feel, you'll love it here!! I'm out...

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THINKING OF RELOCATING HERE? IF YOUR BLACK DONT! - 8/3/2017

well first of im a african american woman and i come from up north thinking my fellow Black people would be more welcoming......noooo ive had better relations with people outside rarce....the black people seem misreable here and truth is dusty as hell, probally because the state has tricked them into believing they can make it off 9$ a hour ,these people are straight getting robbed i now know why sooo many warehouses are here because they are paying these people like they work in mexico i really dont see how they make it!!!! thier cars look better than thier houses and the nicer houses they want 1300$ a month but i remind u they pay very very little here....if your not from here dont move here you definetly will regret!!!!!

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Jax Okay Overall - 5/21/2017

For the moment, housing is fairly affordable when compared with other areas in the U.S. However, real estate prices are climbing and local wages do not reflect this increase; pricing locals out of the market. Many people from more affluent areas of the country are moving to northeast Florida with cash in hand; keeping prices higher for the time being. Neighborhoods are very segregated here. Diversity-friendly is one of the last ways that I would describe Jacksonville. It took the city FOREVER to finally pass an expanded Human Rights Ordinance protecting the rights in housing and employment for our citizens who are LGBTQ. Pretty embarrassing. Eleven years ago, consultants from the University of North Carolina's Kenan School of Business recommended that Jacksonville adopt a sustainability model: pronto. Sadly, this recommendation has been completely disregarded as the city has kow-towed to developers and big businesses. It won't be long before there is no un-built property and the roads become even more choked with traffic congestion. That said, there are many nice neighborhoods in the city where life is quiet and neighbors are friendly. I'm happy where I live, but find that I avoid the beaches and other popular areas of town that have become crowded, noisy, and unpleasant.

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Oh, and... - 5/9/2017

First Baptist owns everything. E-ver-y-thing.

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Lived (and drove) there for 11 years. Nope. - 5/9/2017

I moved to Jacksonville in my late teens, finished high school and Bartram Trail, went to college at FSCJ and started my career, all in Jax. My wife and I moved across the state in 2014 and I have never been happier to see a city in my rearview before in my life. I will never, ever live in Jacksonville again if I can help it and only go back to visit once or twice a year because family and friends still call this miserable city home. First things - this is some of the worst traffic in the US. I drove the full 11 years I worked there and in 2013, I'd say I sat on the off-ramp from 95 to Blanding for up to 2 hours at a time trying to get home. Even off the interstates, it's not much better. The city has been horribly planned for its population expansion and the roads are overcrowded, perpetually being worked on, and dangerous. How many people die a year on the Buckman? I used to drive it four times a day and every single time I felt like I was throwing dice with the reaper. A few months before we moved, a man's pickup was knocked off the top of the bridge. Off. That was one of the last straws. Because of the size of the city - biggest landmass city in the US, if you didn't know - you can pick a direction, drive for an hour, and still be in Jacksonville. Or, between the hours of 6a-10a or 3p-7p, pick a direction, drive for an hour and only go about six miles because traffic is gridlocked. The job market is meh - I worked in nonprofit. However, because I worked in nonprofit that was specific to victim's services, I can tell you this - the crime in Jacksonville is unreal. Murder capital of Florida for a hot minute there, our sexual assault rates are waaaaaay higher than listed on this site because JSO code sexual violence reports in such a way that they don't have to report them all as actual crimes committed - and that's just the reported ones. We lived in Riverside for 3 years and on my block in a six month span there were two violent assaults near Boone Park and a home invasion/murder three houses up from us. Not that JSO is much better. They're a menace, the sheriff Rutherford is as corrupt as they come. Go look online for 'JSO assault civilian' and check out the myriad of clips of these megalomaniacs going to town on unarmed people. One recently clocked an old man - a Vietnam vet - who was peacefully protesting bombing Syria. They're monsters. Trust me. I had to work with them. The city is still hugely conservative, bigoted and homophobic. Our front door was vandalized in Riverside, which is the 'liberal' side of town, so clearly it's not that advanced. Did I mention the traffic?

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The River City - 3/16/2017

I'm not sure I would want to raise a family here. The schools are pretty awful. Crime is high, and it's practically unsafe to ride a bicycle anywhere. With that said, I love this town. I live on the West side, with great houses at low cost and plenty of trees. Jacksonville has the largest park area per capita of any city in the US. I love the rivers, the access to beaches, the proximity of places like St. Augustine, Flagler Beach, and Daytona. Great transit, an international airfield, and more. I'm happy to be here, I love my house and my neighborhood. I walk my dogs daily and say hello to everyone I meet and they respond in kind.

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Housing Stats from Sperlings are wrong - 4/27/2016

Not sure where this site is pulling their data from, but the Median Sales price in Jacksonville Florida is over $140,000 in 2016. That's a stat directly from the Realtor's Multiple Listing Service.

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Jacksonville Florida - 2/13/2016

Not good place to raise a family. I would get a good security system here and watch your backs because the criminals are hiding There have been over 750 unsolved homicides in Jacksonville Florida, and believe me you cannot tell if you're in a community at first if it's crime ridden, so my adivse is go to the local police station first and get a police report, they will tell you on the report and show what crimes have been there. Just a word of caution "THE GRASS IS NOT GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE"

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Not Friendly - 12/27/2015

This in response to someones post. This city has the worst drivers they dont use their horns dont use turn signals just cut in front of you will not let you merge they just speed up.They dont want an amusement park here.I hear its run by the church.This city still uses the word Yankee and everyone screens you by asking whete are you from.They dont want to attract tourist so I was told thats why they wont build any amusement parks.People only want to be your work buddy nothing else.The jobs pay so low and mandate overtime without your permission. If you get evicted the judge wont even let you appear in court to state your case she will just say sorry you gotta move they make up yheir own rules here.Its every man for himself.So many northerners move here for jobs and no snow but end up leaving this city after certain periods of time. Planning on moving outta this hell hole 2016

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will be moving to jax - 10/24/2015

There are a lot bad reviews,but large cities have some of every thing. I have lived all over the world and seen the good and the bad. You just have to choose your specific place and make the best of it. I've lived in Jacksonville temporarily before and will be moving back permanently. The worst part about the negative reviews is how the post will accuse the community of being closed-minded and yet will bash every belief held by others that is not in line with their own...go figure. It seems that if you're a conservative then you're "backwards " and uneducated. That's closed-minded! Progressives and conservatives clash but the truth remains unchanged. It's too bad we can't come together to identify truth. Anyway, Jacksonville will be what you make of it. Your lifestyle will either bring peace or trouble. Intelligent decisions will avoid most of the world's depravity and lead to a good quality of life wherever you live.

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St John's county - 7/21/2015

Jacksonville is not in St John's County, it's in Duval. I live in Ponte Vedra Beach which is in St John's County.

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So, Jacksonville - 12/23/2014

People who have bad things to say about the city probably don't live in a good neighborhood. The overall feeling that you get from being in one section of this city is much different from being in the next. I think the best place to find a house would be in Old San Marco. There are good people there, and it is close to some of the top schools. Plus, house prices aren't as high as in nearby Granada. As for the crime rate, it is pretty high, but most residents aren't affected by it. The problem is that we need more police for such a large city. There are lots of things to do, and you aren't too far from other attractions in Florida (Disney World, Universal, St. Augustine, etc.).

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Crime in Jacksonville - 11/16/2014

Violent crime is high right now alot of murders and robberies. We need more police for a city of this size.

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went to UNF in Jacksonville then moved away asap - 4/23/2014

I was raised in Brevard County, FL. UNF is a great campus and the beach area in Jacksonville is nice. However both my brother and I could not find jobs after earning bachelor's degrees in Criminal Justice in that area. I moved each year I lived there because the base music from neighbors and cars was so bad. I graduated in 2003 and resided there from 2001-2004. The traffic sucks, the water and power frequently would go out, and the beachside restaurants and bars were too pricey. 3/5 of that city is the hood. I am so glad I came back to Brevard. We have 72 miles of beaches, tons of beach volleyball, parks, and nice restaurants with bands, and no heavy traffic. It is much more laid back here. Lots of medical office, engineering firms, hotels, beachside cities, and stores. We do not have major crime and very small pockets of ghetto areas. Granted out population is smaller but so is all of the bad factors that increase with the population. In Jacksonville 11 years ago you could not even go to pick up your prescriptions at night and use the bathrooms. Pharmacists were getting robbed at gun point through the drive thru window. It is so sad how a city that once thrived now sucks. I am not super old but sometimes I wish I could glimpse into the past to see what it use to be like in hopes of helping to reform it. The cost of living is soo high. My advice is to live in quiet neighboring cities if you must locate to this area. Otherwise do not even go there. Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Orlando also have major crime, traffic, and a significant amount of citizens at the poverty line. Not saying poor people are bad but typically ghettos form nearby and some people get desperate. I was raised down south for a time also. Most of the people who lived there growing up or in the last few decades have all moved to central parts of the state where it is safer and more relaxed as a result. Do your research, this site is a great start.

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Jacksonville Florida YOU WILL REGRET LIVING HERE - 12/11/2013

I came here in 1995 from California, LA. And it was decent when I got here and quiet. This city is so damn expensive, poor quality of life, absolutely no jobs whatsoever! I can't even understand why it is so expensive. It's very expensive to rent, I have lived all over Jacksonville, and Everywhere in Florida. I can understand if you go down south some, but JAX florida takes the toll. We have very poor and ghetto schools all over. I have also lived in many other States and this one is next in line for poverty stricken, bad economy. If your thinking of locating unless you make plenty of money don't bother coming here. They charge Hollywood prices for low budget housing. Of course people from NY would say it's better, NY is more expensive, also CAly people, but I can even understand why Caly is expensive, but even there to is not worth living unless you make more than middle class. That's a fact! HOT BORING HOT BORING EXPENSIVE! I have called every staffing agency in Jax believe me there is no jobs! you want a wonderful place go to TEXAS, Austin that is I lived there.

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You decide...Jacksonville, FL - 10/31/2013

You can't drive 3 miles in Jacksonville without seeing one, if not all of the following: Sex Toy store, roadside marker of a traffic fatality or a Pawn Shop. Tie that all together with a blistering heat, brutal humidity and a crime rate that ranks 24th out of the thousands of cities in the Nation, and the 10th worst water quality in the U.S. (The website 24/7 Wall St. examined the quality of water supplies in most major America cities, using data collected from multiple sources for five years (ending in 2009) by Environmental Working Group (EWG), based in Washington, D.C.) And I can't imagine being able to do better with no effort whatsoever in choosing a place to work and live.

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Jacksonville needs jobs - 10/25/2013

Jacksonville has high unemployment. The pay is ludicrous. A degree means nothing here. The zoo is vastly improved and a fun place. The air pollution is not as bad as it was 30 years ago. The Saint Johns area has very low crime and excellent schools. The Town Center has been one the more recent bright spots. Most of the people are friendly and considerate. The Middleburg element adds a redneck mean streak. The drivers in Deerwood are very rude. Climate wise it is hot and humid most of the time. Utilities are high, and commutes are long. The St Johns River has been exploited big business and polluted by sewage. It is a good ole boys town and now state. At least the tolls were removed. People may dress poorly but then again we are trying to keep our homes on meager pay. If we could find decent jobs we would stay but that is doubtful. Hopefully the Jaguars will get some sense and bring Tim Tebow here. That would give the city new energy and excitement.

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family - 10/15/2013

used to be a great city for rasing family now so so nothing special any more .

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Jacksonville Florida - 6/18/2013

If you are educated with at least half a brain...Jacksonville is not the place for you! This is a slave state and it doesn't matter what race you are. I don't know how Jacksonville expects somebody to make a living on $10.00 an hour, JEA is high as hell, apartments are priced really low compared to other cities but you have to be making at least $30,000 to live here comfortably. Do you know why so many people get evicted because they have you sign an "at will" clause when you start working which says if we don't like your ass, we can fire you and there is nothing you can do. And they are right. So you might ask why not just move to another state, well it takes money to move and at 10.00 an hour you better not miss a day of work or you will be like all of us...just a paycheck away from being homeless. I worked at UNF as a custodian...even though I have a degree..I do have to eat..anyway, they wouldn't hire me for any administrative positions but they hired me as a janitor. I stayed long enough to get two paychecks and then I left; you have to pay for parking...go figure. I use to think bad about the people here, really, but after being in this stink hole, its not the people but the people doing the hiring who have been here all their lives and have never left Jacksonville. I worked as a Teaching Assistant with Duval Public Schools, I tell you that my check wasn't even $600 every two weeks and they don't even post their jobs, its all in who you know! Now other cities pay 12 or 13 an hour, same position...go figure. I can't wait to get the hell out of this depressing city and I would tell ANYBODY...do not even THINK about moving here or you really will regret it. On the internet, Jacksonville has good paying jobs, entertainment..that just to make you THINK Jacksonville is all that and a bag of chips! You can tell a real Jacksonville Floridian, they come into the grocery store with their bathrobe, slippers and hair tied up...I am not lying. The have ACCEPTED this way of life because they haven't been anywhere to compare it with.

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