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Gabriella P. housing

First time home buyer in Jacksonville

Hey folks, I'm originally from Portland and Average temperature is around 64--F, so the weather is moderate. The unemployment rate is 2.6%, which is pretty low. It's a a smaller city city with about 73,507 people. There's a growing tech scene which is exciting. The food scene here is surprisingly good. The parks and outdoor areas are a huge plus. People here are genuinely friendly, not just surface-level.

Pros:
- Low crime in most areas
- Lots of new development
- Strong sense of community

Cons:
- Traffic can be terrible
- Limited nightlife
- Limited dining options
- Limited cultural events
- Not enough green space
Honestly, I think it's a great place if you know where to look. The city has invested a lot in new development. The weather takes some getting used to. Public transit needs a lot of work honestly. Traffic can be rough during rush hour, no sugarcoating that. Downtown has improved a lot in recent years. Traffic can be rough during rush hour, no sugarcoating that. It's a very car-dependent city, for better or worse. Night life is decent if you know the right spots. It's a very car-dependent city, for better or worse. Downtown has improved a lot in recent years.
8 upvotes

3 Replies

Emma J.
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 11 years ago from Seattle and here's my honest breakdown:

Housing: It's gotten pricier but still beats the coasts. We're paying /mo for a 2-bed in Cedar Grove. It's pretty good for what you get.

Jobs: The market is growing right now, especially in healthcare. If you're in hospitality you might struggle.

People: Generally challenging. It took about 5 months to build a solid friend group.

Food: excellent. Tons of options if you like farm-to-table.

Give it a chance - it might surprise you..
36 upvotes
Mateo H.
haha yep pretty much
27 upvotes
Samuel Parker
As someone who grew up here, I'm still on the fence after all this time. A lot has changed in the past few years though. school system used to be much growing but now it's surprisingly good.
1 upvotes
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