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The Top 10 Reasons that Jacksonville is a Top Ten City to Live, Play & Stay
The Metro Jacksonville region has come a long way since the early 1900's when an Ostrich Farm at what is today's Southbank Downtown was the area's largest tourist attraction! Over the past year, Jacksonville has stolen the limelight. Here are ten areas where we've made the "Top 10". So, no matter what real estate move you're contemplating next, here are 10 great reasons to do it here.
Top 10 City for Logistics Infrastructure
As the largest city in the lower 48 (over 840 square miles) our recognition as a Top 10 performer in the realm of Logistics Infrastructure didn't happen by accident. Last November, Global Trade Magazine ranked us a "Top Tenner" based on our strong air, sea and rail connectivity. This logistical infrastructure not only makes us cargo-friendly, it's one reason our local unemployment numbers have dropped below 6% to settle around the national and statewide average of 5.6%.
The #1 City in the US to Launch a New Small Business
Last year, Jacksonville distinguished itself as a leading city to launch a new business. WalletHub.com solidly placed the city at the top of the list for cities in our nation to start our small business. How did we do it? With our record of successful new companies, low corporate taxes and access to both employees and the financing needed.
A Top 10 City for Non-College Graduates
With a lot of focus on about wealth disparity, it's nice to know that in Jacksonville, the playing field is a little more level. In January, Movoto listed our city as tied with Las Vegas for 7th place in the nation as a place where non-college graduates can get ahead. The city is ideal for finding employment AND healthcare if you've entered the workforce without a college degree.
A Top 10 City for First-Time Home Buyers
According to Realtor.com, Jacksonville came in 6th nationwide in 2014 when it comes to cities with the best opportunities and prospects for moving from renter to buyer. Which factors were isolated to make the rankings? We can thank market popularity, prices, inventory, days on market and unemployment rankings.
The #1 City in the Nation for Hispanic Economic Performance
When most people think about Latino populations, New York, Miami, Chicago and LA are usually the first places that come to mind. But this year, the real winner for Hispanics was the city of Jacksonville. Criteria that helped us secure our 1st place ranking included a high percentage of Hispanic homeowners (12% higher than the national average), median household income, an increase in new jobs and a Hispanic population boom of 148% since the year 2000!
A Top 10 City for Culture & Music in the Convention Arena
ConventionSouth Magazine spends a lot of time seeking the best the South has to offer by way of meetings, events and conventions. In 2014, Jacksonville took home two Top 10 spots: #1 for the Best City for Culture for meetings and conventions and also were awarded the #4 spot for the South's Top 10 Music Spots for Meetings and Events.
#4 Nationwide for Millennials Seeking Work
According to NerdWallet.com, Jacksonville leads the nation for millennials in the market for a job. 190,000 millennials call Jacksonville home and are looking forward to a higher average payroll salary and lower median rents than their contemporaries in most American cities.
Jacksonville is a Top 10 Contender for Most Affordable Big Cities in America
TheSimpleDollar.com set out to find the most affordable urban hubs in America. For consideration, cities had to have populations over 200,000. Jacksonville was awarded the #4 spot due to affordable housing, a cost of living index 9 points below the average and the highest median household income of all other contenders!
Need Work Now? Jacksonville Tops the List!
Jobs are still one of the biggest concerns in the American economy. For those looking to get back to work, Jacksonville made Forbes's #4 spot last May. The industries that made the biggest impact on our Top 10 status included: professional/business services, healthcare and the financial sector.
More Urban Parks than Anywhere in the Nation!
Rounding off our Top 10 of Jacksonville's Top 10s is the fact that in all of America, Jacksonville has the highest amount of land dedicated to urban parks. Of our cities 850 square miles of geography, 111,669 acres have been designated as parks.