What is the cost of living in Jacksonville, FL?

Housing drives most of the cost-of-living picture in Jacksonville — median home value of $243,000, median rent of $1,281/month — set against a median household income of $64,138 (US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022)).

How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Jacksonville?

A common guideline is that rent should stay under 30% of gross income. With median rent at $1,281/month in Jacksonville, that implies an income of about $51,240 to keep housing affordable. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Jacksonville.

Is it better to rent or buy in Jacksonville?

Comparing the two in Jacksonville: renting at the median $1,281/month needs about $51,240 in annual income (30% guideline), while buying the $243,000 median home needs roughly $55,597 a year in principal-and-interest, assuming 20% down and a 30-year fixed loan at current rates.

Jacksonville, FL Relocation Guide (2026)

Cost of living, housing, and income data for Jacksonville, sourced from the US Census Bureau.

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Salary needed to live in Jacksonville →

950,203

Population

$64,138

Median household income

-11% vs tracked median

$243,000

Median home value

-26% vs tracked median

$1,281/mo

Median rent

-8% vs tracked median

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.

Jacksonville's population is about 950,203. On income, the typical household clears $64,138 a year, running below the median household income across the cities we cover (-11%).

Expect a median home value of $243,000 in Jacksonville, which runs below what we see across other cities (-26%). Median rent lands at $1,281/month — a useful baseline before comparing mortgage payments to rent.

Buying a typical home in Jacksonville would run about 3.8 years of median household income — a moderate multiple, not unusually high or low. Jacksonville's home prices have stayed largely flat, rising just 0.26% from a year earlier. FEMA rates Jacksonville's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively High — worth factoring into home insurance costs.

Personal Affordability Check

Your annual household income: $64,138

Comfortable

Renting at $1,281/mo in Jacksonville would take 24.0% of your income.

$322/mo under the 30% guideline.

Within Budget

Buying the median home ($243,000) would take 24.3% of your income toward principal & interest.

$199/mo under the 28% guideline.

Cost of housing in Jacksonville

Median home value is $243,000 and median gross rent is $1,281/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.

FHFA's county-level home price index for Duval rose 0.26% over the past year (as of 2025).

HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $1,658/month.

Climate & home insurance

FEMA rates Jacksonville's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.

Moving to Jacksonville

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Cost estimates for moving between Jacksonville and nearby popular destinations:

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Frequently asked questions

What is the cost of living in Jacksonville, FL?: Housing drives most of the cost-of-living picture in Jacksonville — median home value of $243,000, median rent of $1,281/month — set against a median household income of $64,138 (US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022)).
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Jacksonville?: A common guideline is that rent should stay under 30% of gross income. With median rent at $1,281/month in Jacksonville, that implies an income of about $51,240 to keep housing affordable. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Jacksonville.
Is it better to rent or buy in Jacksonville?: Comparing the two in Jacksonville: renting at the median $1,281/month needs about $51,240 in annual income (30% guideline), while buying the $243,000 median home needs roughly $55,597 a year in principal-and-interest, assuming 20% down and a 30-year fixed loan at current rates.

See the full salary breakdown for Jacksonville →