Moving to
Fernandina Beach.

All Fernandina Beach data Compare Fernandina Beach

13,420people live here $97,903median household income▲ 21% above US $555,400median home value▲ 67% above US

What it's like to live in Fernandina Beach

Fernandina Beach is a small city in Florida with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.

The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Fernandina Beach deals with home prices well above the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.

The good

Higher-than-average incomes
Low crime rates
Short commutes
Highly educated workforce
Growing population
Low student-teacher ratio

The not so good

High home prices
High rent burden for renters
Car-dependent — few commuters use transit

How Fernandina Beach compares

Median household income

Fernandina Beach$97,903

Florida avg$74,568

US$80,734

Median home value

Fernandina Beach$555,400

Florida avg$359,000

US$332,700

What it takes to move to Fernandina Beach

Based on Fernandina Beach's median rent, home value and household income

To buy

$111,080

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $55,540
Homes cost 5.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Job market

3.9% county unemployment

Unemployment in Nassau County is 3.9%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.

Nassau County (county-wide)

Safety▼ 39% below US

203 violent crimes per 100k

Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.

Property crime 499/100k · Fernandina Beach Police Department · 2025 data

Getting around▼ 14% below US

22 min average commute

Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.3 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 17% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

75%

Work from home

17%

Carpool

6.0%

Other

1.5%

Walk

1.0%

Climate

Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 90°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 48°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)

30-year averages, 1991–2020

Healthcare

1 hospital

There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.

Medicare-certified hospitals

Education & workforce▲ 48% above US

53% bachelor's degree or higher

This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.

Schools

10 public schools inside the boundary

There are 10 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.

Parks & recreation

The nearest national park or historic site is Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve (13 miles away). There are 6 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

Fernandina Beach's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (17% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals.

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