10 Best & Safest Neighborhoods To Live In Jacksonville, FL

Cyril Balahadia
by Cyril Balahadia

The crime rate in Jacksonville, Florida is currently at 53%. And while it’s higher than the national average, you must disregard the fact that it’s also one of the biggest cities in the US. This means that while it’s named as one of the most dangerous cities in the Sunshine State, it doesn’t mean the whole city should be avoided.

Jacksonville is an enormous city with good and bad areas on each side of town. Generally speaking, Jacksonville has 5 main different areas. These are the northside, southside, westside, downtown, and the beaches.

The best neighborhoods in Jacksonville, however, are generally found in the southside. Again, this doesn’t mean that other areas don’t have good neighborhoods.

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Top 10 Safest Neighborhoods in Jacksonville

Rank

Neighborhood

Violent Crimes

Crime Ratio vs Nat. Avg.

10

Miramar

117 crimes / 100k people

-14%

9

Sans Pareil

207 crimes / 100k people

-21%

8

Beach Haven

193 crimes / 100k people

-25%

7

Sandalwood

248 crimes / 100k people

-27%

6

Hidden Hills

250 crimes / 100k people

-37%

5

Loretto

206 crimes / 100k people

-45%

4

Craven

156 crimes / 100k people

-50%

3

Del Rio

148 crimes / 100k people

-52%

2

Gilmore

202 crimes / 100k people

-52%

1

Julington Creek

174 crimes / 100k people

-57%

Check out our list of top neighborhoods in Jacksonville and get to know them better. The information in this article will help you decide where to relocate or settle during your visit.

10. Miramar

  • Home Price: $446,293 median purchase home price; $715.00 median monthly rent
  • Population: 3,632

The beautiful neighborhood of Miramar offers a sparse suburban vibe and most residents living here own their homes. This place also offers a wide variety of activities you can get involved in and enjoy.

This area is perfect for those who are always looking for something to do. Its location offers accessibility and proximity to Jacksonville University, downtown, the beach, Regency Square Mall, and many different local attractions. Here, you’ll find some of the prettiest beaches in Jacksonville

9. Sans Pareil

  • Home Price: $271,819 median purchase home price; $995 median monthly rent
  • Population: 6,730

Another great neighborhood in Jacksonville is Sans Pareil. This neighborhood offers a good sense of community to everyone of all ages. Everyone in the neighborhood seems friendly and helpful.

This area is consisting of many apartments and housing complexes. While you’ll see more older people in this neighborhood, many university students and young professionals live here as well. Aside from the friendly vibe it offers, it’s so easy to feel safe in this neighborhood as well.

8. Beach Haven

  • Home Price: $406,734 median purchase home price; $1,278 median monthly rent
  • Population: 13,583

Another neighborhood that made it to our list is Beach Haven. This neighborhood gives you a dense suburban feel and most people who live here are homeowners. This neighborhood is one of the most sought-after areas in Jacksonville among homebuyers.

Living here will provide you with a great opportunity to grow. Beach Haven is a safe area with a mix of different ages. This area offers everything you could ever think of. This neighborhood features nice homes at extremely reasonable prices.

7. Sandalwood

  • Home Price: $349,250 median purchase home price; $1,241 median monthly rent
  • Population: 4,363

Sandalwood is a neighborhood located midway between the beach and downtown, or as the locals say, “Halfway between business and pleasure.” With streets named after the islands in the south pacific, Sandalwood was established in the spring of 1960.

Today, the neighborhood of Sandalwood continues to be a growing community. People living here take pride in the community, and many people living here have been living here since it was established.

Some second-generation residents enjoy the area’s charm. Sandalwood has a wide selection of housing options, and public transportation is readily available to everyone.

6. Hidden Hills

  • Home Price: $406,734 median purchase home price; $1,278 median monthly rent
  • Population: 13,583

Another great Jacksonville neighborhood you should check out is Hidden Hills. This neighborhood mostly features big homes that are priced reasonably. If you are looking for a peaceful place to live, Hidden Hills is for you.

Not only peaceful, but you’ll also enjoy the public spaces around the area. These places include the Ed Austin Regional Park and other public amenities.

Most of the houses in Hidden Hills are single detached homes, while the remaining are mostly small townhouses and apartments. This neighborhood is mainly composed of two- to three-bedroom homes.

5. Loretto

  • Home Price: $213,102 median purchase home price; $213,102 median monthly rent
  • Population: 3,041

Another neighborhood that is worth checking out is Loretto. This is a very safe neighborhood with a community that looks out for each other. Being here, you would hardly hear any crimes going on in this area.

A lot of residential areas in the neighborhood is close to recreation areas like beaches, shopping malls, and fishing areas. At night, you’ll be able to see the starry skies and sleep well knowing you are in a safe community.

It’s also very accessible to most places of interest. Driving 10-30 minutes will take you to the downtown or town center.

4. Craven

  • Home Price: $239,726 median purchase home price; $982 median monthly rent
  • Population: 8,550

Craven is another neighborhood that never made it to the list of crime-ridden neighborhoods in Jacksonville. This is a perfect place to live for families and retirees. There might not be a lot of places to go for fun. However, you can easily find restaurants and stores where you can find everything you might need.

This neighborhood offers an average atmosphere. So, if you’re looking for a low-key neighborhood that barely hears any crime, then this place would be perfect for you.

3. Del Rio

  • Home Price: $239,304 median purchase home price; $863 median monthly rent
  • Population: 6,887

Another area in Jacksonville that offers a good sense of community is Del Rio. This neighborhood offers a dense suburban atmosphere, this is why many young families and professionals choose to live here.

This quiet and beautiful area has a suburban feel with beautiful landscapes. Living here, you’d live close to great restaurants and shopping areas.

Del Rio offers a haven to its residents and that’s something you will immediately feel as soon as you step your foot in this area. With stores being built in every corner, it’s easy to see its growth potential.

There are also some beaches to enjoy in great proximity. There are smaller lakes and waterways to fish as well. With all the amenities this neighborhood offers, there’s no doubt that this is one of the best neighborhoods in Jacksonville.

2. Gilmore

  • Home Price: $384,750 median purchase home price; $950 median monthly rent
  • Population: 925

The second spot goes to Gilmore. This neighborhood is popular among families and retirees.

The character of this neighborhood is characterized by its calm ambiance. Gilmore is reasonably quiet on the whole, as the streets are quiet – unless you’re living near the State Highway 9A. There are also some public green spaces in the neighborhood for residents to enjoy.

Most houses in Gilmore are single detached homes, while the others are mostly duplexes. This is a perfect neighborhood for those who are looking for three-bedroom properties.

1. Julington Creek

  • Home Price: $301,762 median purchase home price; $1,900 median monthly rent
  • Population: 6,900

And for the neighborhood that takes our first place, Julington Creek. This is a pleasant and well-kept neighborhood favorited by many homebuyers for several reasons.

One of the reasons being a neighborhood with community centers that are maintained well enough to be reliably entertaining. The sheriff’s department also seems to have a steady presence which provides the residence with a feeling of safety.

Another reason is its proximity to downtown, but still far enough to not worry about the chaos going on in the center of the city. Throughout the last 5 years, this neighborhood has grown so much that new schools had to be built and new businesses have come to the area.

Is Jacksonville FL Safe to Live in?

Unfortunately, Jacksonville tops the FBI list for the number of crimes committed compared to other cities in Florida. Here are the key points of crimes in Jacksonville compared to the US national average rate per 1,000 people.

MurderRapeRobberyAssaultBurglaryMotor Theft
Jacksonville0.120.601.463.815.543.38
US Nat. Avg.0.050.430.862.473.762.29

While it’s true that crime is a big issue in Jacksonville, you have to remember how big Jacksonville is! In fact, it’s one of the biggest cities in the US. This means, that comparing it to Seattle or even New York wouldn’t be fair.

Just like any city, there are surely some tougher parts of the Jacksonville area. But there are also quite a few really beautiful, calm, and pleasant neighborhoods too, and some of them are somewhat in the middle.

Is Jacksonville, FL a Good Place to Live?

Despite its higher crime rate, there are endless reasons why Jacksonville is still a good place to live.

For one, when you find the right neighborhood, you’ll be overwhelmed with how friendly people are. Traffic here can also be bad, but drivers know exactly what they are doing.

Jacksonville offers an endless number of activities – you’ll never get bored living here. There are beaches, lakes, parks large malls, restaurants, and other places to go. After all, this is a city, so you can expect here anything you can get in most other cities in the US.

Furthermore, finding a job here is remarkably easy. Whether you’re educated and highly skilled or still at entry-level, there’s really no excuse for you to be jobless here.

But what really attracts most people to Jacksonville is the low cost of living. The cost of living in this city is at 93.5 compared to the US national average of 100. Below is a rundown of the cost of living in Jacksonville compared to the rest of the state and the national average.

Cost of Living

Jacksonville

Florida

Nat. Avg.

Overall

93.5

102.8

100

Grocery

99.2

102.8

100

Health

97.1

98

100

Housing

78

102.6

100

Median Home Cost

$180,300

$237,100

$231,200

Utilities

102.8

101.3

100

Transportation

101.4

112.6

100

Miscellaneous

100.4

96.9

100

Obviously, Jacksonville is not perfect. The city has thugs and a fair share of crime. At the end of the day, it’s a city, so taking safety precautions is a must.

Remember that if you go to Jacksonville expecting the worst, then that’s what you will get. On the other hand, if you go in expecting the best, then you’ll get it too. It’s all a matter of perspective and of course, common sense.

The Worst Neighborhoods in Jacksonville

When talking about shooting or murder, the areas of westside and northside are widely spoken on the local news. To give you more ideas, we came up with another list of the worst neighborhoods in Jacksonville.

This list is based on the crime rate of each neighborhood.

Rank

Neighborhood

Violent Crimes

Crime Ratio

1

29th and Chase

2,873 crimes / 100k people

382%

2

East Jacksonville

2,703 crimes / 100k people

354%

3

Mid-Westside

2,613 crimes / 100k people

339%

4

Springfield

2,064 crimes / 100k people

246%

5

Moncrief Park

1,971 crimes / 100k people

231%

6

Mixon Town

1,971 crimes / 100k people

231%

7

Lackawanna

1,949 crimes / 100k people

227%

8

New Town

1,889 crimes / 100k people

217%

9

Royal Terrace

1,880 crimes / 100k people

216%

10

Tallulah-North Shore

1,875 crimes / 100k people

215%

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Final Thoughts

Plentiful employment opportunities, top leisure facilities, and warm sunshine all year round all contribute to Jacksonville being ranked among the most livable cities in the country. No wonder why more and more people deciding to move or visit here.

But before taking any steps, it pays to know the best neighborhoods in the city. So, we hope that this article has made your job easy in finding this important information.

If you have other questions or thoughts you want to share, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below and interact with us!

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Cyril Balahadia
Cyril Balahadia

Coming from a family of woodcarvers, Cyril has always been fascinated with wooden interiors and home decorating. While she followed the path of writing as her career, her interests in home improvements still remain.

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