What it's like to live in Jacksonville
Jacksonville is a smaller city in North Carolina with home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with class sizes near the national average. 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, hospital ratings below the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and above-average rainfall.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Below-average hospital ratings
- High rent burden for renters
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
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
$2,642
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $52,840 a year
- 53% of Jacksonville renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$42,020
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $21,010
- Homes cost 3.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,321/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,321 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $210,100. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $210,100 · 53% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 19% above US
5.1% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.1%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 31% below US
228 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 1725/100k · Jacksonville Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 42% below US
15 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 15 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 13% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 88°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 37°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
3 hospitals
There are 3 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 1.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 27% below US
26% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 26%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
14 public schools inside the boundary
There are 14 public schools inside the boundary and 11 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Moores Creek National Battlefield (45 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Jacksonville's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and hospital ratings below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,321/mo) equals 27% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and people who want short commutes.
See all the data for Jacksonville →·All North Carolina cities →
Other places near Jacksonville
All North Carolina guides →Moving to Piney Green →
4 mi away · pop. 14,078
Rent $1,202/mo · Income $72,177
Compare with Jacksonville →Moving to Havelock →
31 mi away · pop. 17,691
Rent $1,280/mo · Income $58,408
Compare with Jacksonville →Moving to New Bern →
31 mi away · pop. 32,734
Rent $1,081/mo · Income $61,031
Compare with Jacksonville →Not sure Jacksonville is the one?
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