Jacksonville, Florida downtown city skyline overlooking bridge on St. Johns River.
Jacksonville, Florida downtown city skyline overlooking bridge on St. Johns River.

Jacksonville, FL

Houses in Jacksonville

  • About

  • History

  • Location

  • Things to do

  • Demographics

  • Culture

  • Schools

  • FAQ

  • Related

4 Reasons you should buy a house in Jacksonville, FL

Are you interested in buying a house in Florida? Why not buy it in a city that boasts of the largest urban park in the nation? Jacksonville is a safe city with a thriving economy, and it also has a lot to offer.

History of Jacksonville

History of Jacksonville

Jacksonville History Florida

The history of Jacksonville, Florida, can be traced back 6,000 years, when the Timucuan Indians lived in the area along the banks of the St. Johns River. The area's original name was "Cowford" because of its location at a narrow point in the river where cattle once crossed. In 1822, the city was founded and renamed for Andrew Jackson, a military hero and the first American Governor of Florida, known as Old Hickory. Jacksonville was a town in Florida before Florida became a state. A significant development occurred in Jacksonville in the late 19th century. The town became a winter vacation destination for tourists from the North and Midwest. When Jacksonville was founded, the town was located in St. Johns County, and the only other county in Florida was Escambia County. However, Duval County was established about a month after the town's founding. Jacksonville became incorporated as a city on February 9, 1832. Its development was slowed down by the Great Fire in 1901, the Florida Land Bust in the 1920s, and the economic woes in the 1960s and 1970s. However, the city has experienced steady growth since the late 20th century and has a new federal building that was constructed Downtown in 2003. Jacksonville was a critical supply point for hogs shipped from Florida to feed the Confederate forces during the American civil war. An essential part of Jacksonville's growth in the 20th century came from the presence of navy bases in the region. The ground was majorly a training center during World War II and had over 20,000 pilots and aircrew members being drilled there. In addition, the Navy's elite Blue Angels were established at NAS Jax after the war and have become the third-largest navy installation in the United States, employing over 23,000 civilian and active-duty personnel.

Jacksonville History Florida

Things to do in Jacksonville

Things to do in Jacksonville

Jacksonville Beach Florida

Beaches
On buying a house in Jacksonville, one of the most relaxing places to go is the beach. The city's four main beaches are Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, Mayport Beach, and Atlantic Beach, just a brief drive from Downtown Jacksonville.

Jacksonville Beach is the busiest and most visited beach in the city of Jacksonville, with over 3.7 miles of wide and sandy beach to play on. The beach offers surfing, beach volleyball, private picnics, and many more fun activities.

Some other beautiful beaches in the city include Ponte Vedra Beach, American Beach, Mayport Beach, and others.


Leisure Time At A Park

Jacksonville houses over four hundred City Parks, seven State Parks, and two National Parks. The city's park system is said to be a way of preserving the rich history that has established Jacksonville. Take a trip to the renowned James Weldon Johnson Park, located in the heart of Downtown and across the street from City Hall. The park has been in existence for about 160 years, making it the oldest park in the city of Jacksonville.

You would fall in love with the beautiful atmosphere of the park while enjoying the view of the water fountains, foods from food trucks and vendors, and musical entertainment. Other top exciting parks in the city include Riverside Park, Fort Caroline National Park, Kingsley Plantation, and Jacksonville Arboretum.

Restaurant Scene
Speaking of quality food, Jacksonville has some of the best chefs that ensure that the residents enjoy the city's diverse food scene. The city has affordable restaurants to have dinner with family and friends.

Are you looking for a restaurant in Jacksonville to have a business meeting? Then, Terra Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse got you as they offer some of the best freshly grilled steak and other delicious meals. Another restaurant you should try out is the Maple Street Biscuit Company, as it is also a nice place to have dinner with the family.

There are several other must-try restaurants in Jacksonville, such as Restaurant Orsay, Biscottis, BB's Restaurant + Bar, Green Papaya Thai Cuisine, and Ruth's Chris Steak House.

Lakes
The prominent Lake Jacksonville is a 500-acre artificial lake filled with bass, red-ear sunfish, channel catfish, and bluegill. The lake is a perfect location for boating, water skiing, fishing, and other water activities. The lake is located about a one-half mile southwest of Jacksonville in Cherokee County on Gum Creek, a tributary of the Neches River.

Flamingo Lake RV Resort, Lake Angeles Trail, Lake Area Watersport, Adventure Kayak Florida, and Herb N Chick are the top-rated lakes to check.


Jacksonville Beach Florida

Houses for sale in Jacksonville, FL

Show more

Location

Map showing Jacksonville

Location

At about 328 miles north of Miami and 25 miles south of the Georgia state line, Jacksonville straddles the St. Johns River (the longest River in Florida) in the First Coast region of northeast Florida. The city is also situated on the Atlantic coast of Florida. Jacksonville encompasses 874.46 square miles, making it the largest city in Florida. As of 2020, the city was ranked the largest city by landmass in the contiguous United States.

Jacksonville demographics

Jacksonville demographics

Large group of people forming the shape of Florida

Home to 949,611 residents, Jacksonville is recognized as the most populous city in the Southeast, the most populated city in the state of Florida, and the 12th most populated city in the United States. The city also has a population density of 1,270.73 people per square mile.

The Jacksonville metropolitan area ranks as the fourth-largest metropolitan region in Florida, with 1,733,937 residents.

Jacksonville has a diverse racial composition. Whites are the dominant population, making up 51.2% of the city's population. African or Black Americans come next at 31%, while Hispanics or Latinos, Asian, and Mixed make up 10%, 5.0%, and 4.6% of the population, respectively.

Large group of people forming the shape of Florida

Arts in Jacksonville

Arts in Jacksonville

Cummer Art Gallery Saint Johns River Jacksonville Florida

Who would not love to buy a house in a city with a unique and incredible art and entertainment scene? Jacksonville is home to an extensive contemporary art institution and the most prominent museum in the Southeastern United States; the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, also referred to as MOCA Jacksonville. The art museum was founded in 1924 as the Jacksonville Fine Arts Society and was incorporated as the Jacksonville Art Museum in 1948. It also became the first institution in Jacksonville to be accredited by the American Alliance of Museums in 1978.

The museum includes an auditorium, galleries, restaurants, meeting spaces, and classrooms in a historic 1920s Art Deco building. With more than 1,000 pieces in its permanent collection, MOCA Jacksonville has one of the Southeast's largest modern and contemporary art collections you would love to see. Some Artists represented include Helen Frankenthaler, Alex Katz, Robert Longo, Alexander Calder, and Hans Hofmann. The city's other exceptional art museums are Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, the Museums of Science and History, Mussallem Galleries, and Brown Museum of Art Jacksonville.

Jacksonville is the birthplace of many famous musicians and bands, and the city is also known as the "Birthplace of Southern Rock." The earliest Jacksonville musicians to be recognized were James Weldon Johnson and his brother John Rosamond Johnson. The next major breakout for a local came in the late 20s when Arthur Blake, aka Blind Blake, hit the music scene. He was a prolific blues guitarist and singer who recorded 80 songs between 1926 and 1932, his distinct sound earning him the title "King of Ragtime Guitar. The great Ray Charles is also considered by many to be one of the greatest artists of all time.

Want to explore the music scene of Jacksonville? Head to these places to enjoy live music and concerts: The Arena, Blue Jay Listening Room, 1904 Music Hall, and Florida Theater.

Cummer Art Gallery Saint Johns River Jacksonville Florida

Schools in Jacksonville

Schools in Jacksonville

The public school district that serves the residents in the suburban, urban, and rural areas of the City of Jacksonville is the Duval County Public Schools. The district is home to over 129,000 students, making it the 6th largest school district in Florida and the 21st largest school district in the United States. It is managed by the Duval County School Board and the Superintendent. The best schools in Jacksonville are Stanton College Preparatory School, Paxon School for Advanced Studies, Darnell-Cookman School of the Medical Arts, Mandarin High School, Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, and others. Do you want to be able to enjoy the educational opportunities in Jacksonville? Then, all you need to do is buy a house today and move into the city.

School bus in Florida

Why Jacksonville?

Why Jacksonville?

Jacksonville Landing Florida

Ready To Buy Your House In Jacksonville?
Jacksonville is an exciting city to call home, offering lovely parks and recreation centers, prominent museums, and an excellent restaurant scene. Buying a house in this city is the best way to take advantage of all the city offers.

Jacksonville Landing Florida
FAQ
FAQ

Other real estate for sale in Jacksonville

Top Unreal Estate agents
Kaiya Botosh

Kaiya Botosh

Loan Officer

Jaydon Levin

Jaydon Levin

Los Angeles

Martin Lipshutz

Martin Lipshutz

Texas

Alfonso Rosser

Alfonso Rosser

San Francisco

View related pages

State

  • Condos for sale in Florida
  • Land in Florida
  • Mobile homes in Florida
  • Real Estate in Florida

Are you buying a house or selling a house?

Explore homes

Find your dream home, today

    Unreal Estate stacked logo

    About

    BuySellMortgageAgentsCompany

    Updated January 2023: By using this website, you agree to our Terms of Service, and Privacy Policy.

    ⁠Unreal Estate holds real estate brokerage licenses under the following names in multiple states and locations:
    Unreal Estate LLC (f/k/a USRealty.com, LLP)
    Unreal Estate LLC (f/k/a USRealty Brokerage Solutions, LLP)
    Unreal Estate Brokerage LLC
    Unreal Estate Inc. (f/k/a Abode Technologies, Inc. (dba USRealty.com))
    Main Office Location: 1500 Conrad Weiser Parkway, Womelsdorf, PA  19567
    California DRE #01527504
    New York § 442-H Standard Operating Procedures
    TREC: Info About Brokerage ServicesConsumer Protection Notice

    UNREAL ESTATE IS COMMITTED TO AND ABIDES BY THE FAIR HOUSING ACT AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ACT.

    If you are using a screen reader, or having trouble reading this website, please call Unreal Estate Customer Support for help at 1-866-534-3726 
    Open Monday – Friday 9:00 – 5:00 EST with the exception of holidays.

    *See Terms of Service for details.

    LinkedIn Social IconInstagram social iconFacebook social icontwitter social iconYoutube Social Icon

    © 2023 Unreal Estate Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Unreal Estate certified trust badge
    LinkedIn Social IconInstagram social iconFacebook social icontwitter social iconYoutube Social Icon