Excellent Jacksonville Neighborhoods
North Jacksonville / Northside
Formerly an industrial area, there has been extensive residential development in recent times. Close proximity to Huguenot Park, Jacksonville Zoo, and the airport – along with the conveniences of downtown – has transformed this sleepy part of the city into a highly desirable riverfront living area particularly in neighborhoods like Oceanway and Yellowbluff. Lots range up to an acre in size, with an assortment of new home development styles available from Mediterranean villas to modest ranch homes.
Although downtown is just a few minutes away, it is still outside of the other parts of the city, and the most rural section continues to be the Northside.
Neighbors: First-time home buyers, retirees building their riverfront dream homes, and families with children.
Central Jacksonville / Riverside
Riverside Avenue earned its reputation as being one of America’s most beautiful streets by the early 1900’s. Its oak-shaded streets feature Mediterranean-revival homes, brownstones, bungalows, and early 20th century homes. St. Johns River is close by and it is just a short commute into downtown Jacksonville. St. Vincent’s Medical Center is located in Riverside, along with many doctors’ offices located in early 20th-century houses that have been converted into professional offices. There are funky shops and trendy clubs and restaurants, which give Riverside a youthful and fun vibe that is very popular with young professionals.
Neighbors: Nurses and doctors working at St. Vincent and young professionals working downtown.
Central Jacksonville / San Marco
Located north of Jacksonville’s Mandarin area and south of downtown, San Marco Square is a very artsy shopping, entertainment, and dining district. This area was built during the 1920’s to look like Venice, Italy’s Piazza San Marco. Restaurants and shops stretch across the Y-shaped interaction of San Marco Boulevard and Atlantic. Area streets feature trendy bistros, stately mansions, and historic estates.
Neighbors: Artists and other creative types, young married couples and single professionals
South Jacksonville / Southside
Over the past two decades, growth in the area has exploded. Southside has been a prime target for development due to its good schools, low crime rate, Interstate 95 access, and an extensive network of recreational areas and parks. These range from gated golf communities to upscale and single-family homes as well as working-class tracts. The architecture in the area is a mix of Cape Cods, Mediterraneans, Tudors, and bungalows, with most of them being built after 1990. At rush hour, traffic can be terrible around San Jose, Southside, and Baymeadows boulevards.
Neighbors: Young professionals purchasing their first home or condo and many families that have young children
East Jacksonville / Beach Areas
Some of Jacksonville’s most expensive and desirable neighborhoods are Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, and Atlantic Beach areas. The median price for a single-family house at the beach is over $300,000. That isn’t even oceanfront. However, no one is too far away from the ocean here. Locals spend their leisure time rollerblading, running, surfing, or biking. The primary road is First Street, which runs throughout all of the beach communities. Outdoor living is very popular here, with everyone from young professionals, to retirees, and families in apartments and condos living the “salt life.”
Neighbor: Retirees, young professionals, families, and anyone else wanting to live close to the beach.
West Jacksonville / Orange Park
The area of Orange Park is well-known for its reasonable home prices in rural settings. Neighborhoods such as Doctors Inlet and Fleming Island offer convenient shopping and dining. The Naval Air Station is located there and contains many wooded underdeveloped areas. This is the side of town to be on if you are searching for a place for horses and two-acre lots. It is just a 45-minute commute to the Southside or downtown for work.
Neighbors: Families, horse people, Navy families, and anybody wanting a large spread of land while still having a reasonable commute time to work
There are many lovely neighborhoods within the greater Duval area. Farnham Dentistry is conveniently located within a 20 minute drive from Downtown Jacksonville and a 30 minute drive from most neighborhoods within the Jacksonville area.