Family-Friendly City

Why move to Jacksonville, you ask? Here’s a video of Kayla Spencer to sum it all up.

1. Perfect for Families

According to AreaVibes, Jacksonville scores 69 due to its accessibility, low-cost of living, many amenities, weather, and education.

2. Affordable Living

Living in most cities usually means a high cost for people trying to manage the family budget. Despite the fact that Jacksonville is a huge city, it offers an affordable price with all the advantages of living in the city.

3. Good Housing Market

If you want to own part of Florida, buying a house is a sound investment since housing cost is moderate and very affordable. You can live close to the beach for less than $300 thousand, and if you prefer the urban area, you can have it for less than $400 thousand. An average house in Jacksonville costs about $200 thousand.

4. Plenty of Public School Options

There are many excellent schools in the city. Two of the top-rated public high schools in the country are in Jacksonville, namely Stanton and Paxon. There are several more public schools, but if you prefer private schools, you also have plenty to choices.

5. Safe Streets

Truth be told, crime is everywhere but there are lots of safe areas to walk around in Jacksonville just like Beauclerc, Avondale, Deerwood, San Jose Forest and Brooklyn. All of the mentioned neighborhoods have up to 60% better crime rates than the average, best places for the families.

6. Jobs in Jacksonville

The growing economy of Jacksonville invites the millennial to work there. In fact, according to Forbes, the city is ranked 6 in the list of the best cities for tech jobs. Also, the port has been busy since it started handling large ships being a coastal city.

7. Nice Weather

Florida, Jacksonville has a moderate temperature. It is the “just right” type of climate. Is it hot? Yes, but there’s the cooling breeze coming from the sea. Does it get chilly? Yes, but not your usual below zero degrees for more than a few hours on some days of the year.

8. The Outdoors

The city has 111,000 acres of parks and considers to be the largest system of urban parks in the country. It offers a healthy physical lifestyle for everyone.

9. Suburbs for Families

If you’re not that fond of living in the city but would like to take advantage of the benefits you can get, there are suburbs for you to live. The proximity to the urban area is adjacent, has family-friendly communities, cozy homes, great public schools and with low crime rates.

10. Close to the Beach

In Jacksonville, you don’t have to wait for the summer to plan a vacation because you can relax on a weekend getaway. And since it won’t take you hours of drive to get to the beach, you can be working in the morning and be instantly chilling by the sea in the next hour giving you the work-life balance you deserve.

11. Family Oriented Programs

There are some impressive museums in Jacksonville. The city is among the 25 arts destinations in the country; it holds the annual Jacksonville Jazz Festival on the Memorial Day weekend. Don’t forget to include the Museum of Science and History and the Museum of Contemporary Art. You can stroll along downtown on every first Wednesday of the month to see the Art Walk where artists showcase their artworks. Also, some of the best museums and attractions provide free access every November.

12. Community Engagement

There’s this community resource that parents would love, and it’s called Fun 4 First Coast Kids. It provides you with all local events in the area, including all entertainment and recreation activities and events for health and information, as well as parties, programs, and classes for children, sports, summer camps and more.

13. Pet-Friendly

Your pet can enjoy living the Jacksonville as much as you do since it is a well-accepted pet city with several dog parks and beaches, outdoor restaurants where pets are allowed, and events such as the Julian Creek Animal Walk to keep them having fun and socializing.

14. Variety of Activities

The city has many activities that will keep every member of the family active. One good example would be the run and walk programs throughout the year. The most popular is The Gate River Run 15K race. Aside from that, Jacksonville also offers various activities for the family such as swimming, surfing, and hiking.

15. Entertainment

You can never be bored in Jacksonville. If you want something new to do, you can look everywhere. To mention a few, you can watch a movie at the Beach Moonlight Movies, you slip and slide on the 1,000 ft Urban Slide in Downtown. You can spend a day at the Jacksonville Zoo or feel the holiday during the Beaches Winter Light Festival.