What it's like to live in Jacksonville
Jacksonville is a small city in Alabama with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, county unemployment below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Jacksonville deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, and above-average rainfall.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- High poverty rate
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Jacksonville compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Jacksonville
Based on Jacksonville's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,640
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $32,800 a year
- 42% of Jacksonville renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$37,100
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $18,550
- Homes cost 3.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 42% below US
$820/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $820 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $185,500. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $185,500 · 42% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.2% county unemployment
Unemployment in Calhoun County is 3.2%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Calhoun County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 92% above US
631 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 2218/100k · Jacksonville Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 23% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 87°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 32°F and snow a regular occurrence. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 13% below US
31% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 31% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
3 public schools inside the boundary
There are 3 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Freedom Riders National Monument (15 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Jacksonville's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($820/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Jacksonville
All Alabama guides →Not sure Jacksonville is the one?
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