JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville is currently outside the top 50 of U.S. News & World Report's ranking of the best places to live in America for 2024-2025.
River City dropped from 16th place last year to 56th this year.
Jacksonville ranked 24th on the list for 2022. According to U.S. News & World Report, housing costs in Jacksonville are “lower than the national average sales price,” but “transportation is the largest daily expense, with many people relying on their own vehicles for transportation.”
In addition to coastal living opportunities, the magazine said Jacksonville “offers culturally and aesthetically diverse neighborhoods surrounding its downtown.”
(Download: Free Action News Jax app to receive breaking news alerts)
Seven Florida cities ranked higher than Jacksonville: Naples at No. 1, Sarasota at No. 11, Pensacola at No. 31, Tampa at No. 35, Fort Myers at No. 37 and Melbourne at No. 49.
Jacksonville ranked higher than the following Florida cities:
68. Orlando
75. Tallahassee
78. Okara
80. Lakeland
83. Port St. Lucie
96. Daytona Beach
123. Miami
(Sign up: Action News Jax Daily Headlines newsletter)
Naples, on Florida's Gulf Coast, was ranked number one overall as the best place to live in the United States.
U.S. News analyzed 150 of the largest cities in the U.S. to find the best places to live. The magazine looked at each city's value, livability, job market, quality of life and more.
See the full list of rankings here.
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather app, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
