Why people love (and move) to Jacksonville
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“Jacksonville saw a 40% surge in remote workers over the past year,” a recent study found. That kind of explosive growth is turning heads and it’s no fluke. Professionals from across the country are flocking to this Florida city, drawn by a rare combination of big-city opportunity and laid-back coastal lifestyle. If you’re a prospective resident, a digital nomad, or a company eyeing relocation, you’ll find Jacksonville offers something surprisingly special. Let’s dive into why the “Bold City” is booming with new faces and fresh energy.
Remote Work Boom in the Bold City
Jacksonville is among the 10 fastest-growing cities for remote work in the U.S., the only Florida city in the top 10. In fact, remote and hybrid work have been on the rise nationwide (23% of Americans now work from home at least part-time), and Jacksonville is leading the pack. The city saw a 40% year-over-year jump in its remote workforce, a clear sign that it’s becoming a magnet for telecommuters. Florida as a whole hasn’t embraced remote work as broadly (about 17% of Florida’s workforce is remote), but Jacksonville stands out as a trendsetter, punching above its weight in the work-from-anywhere era.
Even Zillow and Yelp named Jacksonville the #1 U.S. city for digital nomads, those tech-savvy professionals who move from city to city while working remotely. Page views for Jacksonville rentals on Zillow soared 120% from 2019 to 2020 as remote workers scoured for housing deals. Clearly, people with newfound work freedom can’t get Jax off their minds. The appeal? A blend of affordability and lifestyle that remote employees crave.
Remote workers enjoying a collaborative morning at a Jacksonville café. The city’s coffee shops and co-working spaces are buzzing with people who’ve ditched the traditional office.
Step into any local coffee shop and you’ll see the evidence: laptops open, lattes in hand. “Jacksonville’s coffee shops are full of remote workers,” observes one visiting influencer, amazed by the thriving telework scene. The city has plenty of co-working hubs and friendly cafes providing fast Wi-Fi and a sense of community. “There are hundreds of cafes... and thousands of hot spots so you can work from the beach” notes one enthusiastic Jacksonville realtor, highlighting that even the shoreline is a potential office nowadays. In Jacksonville, remote professionals truly have the freedom to work anywhere; whether it’s a downtown shared workspace or under a palm tree by the ocean.
Affordable Living & Sunny Quality of Life
For all the talk of Florida’s beaches, let’s not forget one of Jacksonville’s biggest draws: you get more for your money here. Living in Jacksonville costs about 49% less than living in Brooklyn, NY; what costs $80,000 in Brooklyn would cost roughly $40,736 in Jax. That gap is eye-opening. Housing is especially wallet-friendly: just a couple years ago the average rent was around $960/month for a Jacksonville home. While rents have risen since, they remain well below those in many major metros. Your dollar simply stretches farther, whether you’re renting a loft downtown or buying a house near the beach.
Jacksonville’s downtown skyline viewed across the St. Johns River at dusk. The city combines urban amenities with waterfront sunsets, offering an attractive lifestyle at a lower cost.
Florida’s tax perks sweeten the deal even more. There’s no state income tax here, which can feel like an instant raise for remote workers relocating from high-tax states. As author Rhiannon Payne puts it, “Florida is a fantastic emerging market for remote workers thanks to the sunny weather year-round, no state income tax, and still affordable home prices”. Imagine keeping more of your paycheck while enjoying life under the sun; it’s a compelling proposition. Speaking of sunshine, Jacksonville gets about 220 days of sun per year, so you can swap shoveling snow for jogging on the beach. The weather is mild enough that many people work from their porch or patio for 9 or 10 months of the year, as locals happily report.
Outdoor recreation is a way of life here. Jacksonville boasts 87 miles of sandy Atlantic coastline and is home to beloved beach towns like Amelia Island and St. Augustine. On weekends you might find yourself surfing in the morning and logging on to work by afternoon; with salt in your hair and a smoothie at your side. Inland, the city offers the largest urban park system in the nation, over 400 parks, preserves, and greenspaces, ranking Jacksonville No. 1 for park land per resident. From biking along the riverfront to kayaking in the Timucuan Preserve, the options are endless. It’s easy to see why so many newcomers describe life here as feeling like vacation meets everyday routine. One recent transplant summed it up excitedly: what could be better than sneaking in a morning paddleboard session and then signing on to your remote job?
Thriving Economy & Corporate Growth
Sunshine and savings are great, but what about jobs and business opportunities? Jacksonville shines there too. The city’s economy is diverse and booming, making it attractive not just to remote solo workers, but also to large employers and relocating companies. Over the last few years, Jacksonville saw a net 67% jump in corporate relocations, the highest growth of any major U.S. city from 2022 to 2023. In other words, companies are moving in at a record clip, drawn by the pro-business environment and talent pool. Florida as a whole has led the nation in new corporate headquarters (an 86% increase in HQ relocations in 2022-23) thanks to its business-friendly climate, and Jacksonville is leading the charge at the city level.
Why are businesses choosing Jacksonville? Low taxes and a favorable climate for growth are big reasons. Florida consistently ranks among the top states for business, Chief Executive Magazine rates it the #2 best state for business, citing low taxes, strong incentives, and rapid population growth. Jacksonville embodies those advantages. The region has 150+ corporate, regional, and divisional headquarters already operating here, including several Fortune 500 companies. Railroad giant CSX, financial leaders Fidelity National Financial and FIS (Fintech), and many others call Jacksonville home. In just the past couple of years, major firms like Dun & Bradstreet (data analytics) and Redwire Space (aerospace) picked up and relocated their headquarters from New Jersey and California to Jacksonville. These moves are huge votes of confidence, signaling that Jacksonville offers the infrastructure, workforce, and lifestyle that businesses need to thrive.
Growth is not limited to companies coming in, local industries are expanding too. Banking, healthcare, logistics, and tech are pillars of the seven-county metro economy. (Jacksonville even hosts one of the nation’s three Mayo Clinic campuses, a jewel in its healthcare sector.) Unemployment here remains low (around 3–4%), and as of this writing tens of thousands of jobs are available across industries. If your spouse or partner needs local employment, odds are good they’ll find opportunities in their field. “Jacksonville has everything companies and employees need to grow, whether the setting is a traditional workplace or via work-from-home,” explains Aundra Wallace of JAXUSA, noting that people are choosing places with high quality of life over proximity to a corporate office. In short, the economic momentum in Jacksonville means you can advance your career here, without sacrificing lifestyle or flexibility. It’s a rare balance that’s drawing both startups and Fortune 500 firms, lone entrepreneurs and entire divisions of relocating employees.
Vibrant Community and Culture
Numbers and business aside, what truly makes someone feel at home in a new city? Often, it’s the community and culture. On this front, Jacksonville shines with an inviting, unpretentious spirit. This is a city of transplants and natives alike, a melting pot of cultures (as locals proudly say). New arrivals often comment on how welcoming and down-to-earth the vibe is for such a large city. You’ll hear “yes ma’am” Southern politeness in one breath and see a diverse mix of people and traditions in the next. It’s easy to plug into networks here; whether through a neighborhood Facebook group, a local church or volunteer organization, or the burgeoning tech meetups and remote worker socials popping up.
For fun and enrichment, Jacksonville offers more than you might expect. Love the arts? The city’s art scene is lively and growing; from the renowned Cummer Museum of Art to monthly art walks and murals brightening up downtown. Music lovers get to enjoy over 20 annual music festivals, including the jazz fest on Amelia Island and the quirky Jacksonville PorchFest where local bands play from front porches in historic neighborhoods. If you’re a foodie or craft beer fan, you’re in luck: the culinary scene is booming, with everything from hole-in-the-wall taco joints to upscale bistros. A great local beer culture has taken root too. In fact, one standout craft beer spot, Alewife, was founded by a couple who moved from Washington, D.C. to Jacksonville to fulfill their dream of opening a bottle shop and tasting room. Stories like that give a personal touch to the city’s renaissance: new residents not only find what they’re looking for in Jax, they’re actively creating new hotspots and experiences for everyone to enjoy.
Even sports and entertainment are on the rise. The NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars have ignited local pride with recent successes, and the city is investing in downtown revitalization that includes new parks, venues, and riverfront development. On any given weekend, you might choose between a Jaguars game, a downtown street festival, a beach yoga class, or a day trip to historic St. Augustine. There’s a little something for every taste and an underlying sense that Jacksonville is a city on the move, culturally and socially as much as economically.
Jacksonville’s secret sauce comes down to balance. It’s a place where you can enjoy big-city conveniences on the Atlantic Ocean; yet keep living costs relatively affordable. It’s professional and pro-business, but also relaxed and playful (board shorts and business suits often coexist here). If you’re a remote worker, you’ll find community and convenience. If you’re relocating your family, you’ll find space, schools, and sunshine. And if you’re a company executive weighing a move, you’ll discover a fertile environment for growth with a lifestyle bonus that your team will love. No wonder Jacksonville is ranked among the best places to live in Florida and is climbing the ranks nationally as well. As more people swap congested, costly cities for this bright corner of Northeast Florida, Jacksonville is coming into its own; and the country is taking notice in a big way. Whether you’re seeking opportunity, community, or just a fresh start under blue skies, Jacksonville just might surprise you with how much it has to offer.
Sources: The statistics and quotes in this article are drawn from a range of recent studies, news reports, and local insights, including Florida Politics, JAXUSA/CBRE research, Forbes and Chief Executive rankings, and Jacksonville regional publications, among others. All sources are cited in-line with reference to the original data or commentary for verification.