Jacksonville, Florida

Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the St. Johns River to the west, Jacksonville is a beautiful place to live no matter how you look at it. You'll find beaches that are truly unspoiled, a riverfront that's equally as pristine and a downtown skyline that is exceptionally spectacular. This stretch of rambling coastline is part of a five county area aptly named the "First Coast."

A city on the move, Jacksonville has attracted and helped to create the Jacksonville Jaguars, one of the NFL's most explosive and dynamic franchises ever. An evolving, rapidly growing city, Jacksonville is fast becoming one of the most desirable and picturesque places to live in the Southeast.

Ten Great Reasons To Move To Jacksonville

1. Weather
You won't find a more pleasing climate. In Jacksonville, the average number of sunny days is 226. In fact, it's rare to go all day without seeing the sun.

The temperature drops below 32 degrees less than 2 weeks a year. The coldest month is January with a minimum low of 41 degrees. The hottest month is July when temperatures often peak at around 91 degrees.

Jacksonville is very fortunate to have a low hurricane percentage. There's a 4% chance of experiencing a tropical storm, a 1% chance of a low-grade hurricane and less than a 1% chance of experiencing a severe storm.

2. Cost of Living
The cost of housing is 15% lower than the national average for new homes. Florida is also one of the few states to have no state income tax.

3. Desirable Lifestyle
Stretching nearly 50 miles, Jacksonville's almost endless coastline of white sand beach promises you plenty of magnificent sunrises, lazy sun-filled days and leisurely sunset strolls. No matter where you choose to live in Jacksonville, the beach is always easily accessible. And it's just a convenient 20-minute drive from most corporate complexes.

Jacksonville was recently chosen as the 6th best golf destination in the country by Golf Digest magazine. The First Coast area is home to the PGA Tour, The World Golf Village and the Golf Hall of Fame. Jacksonville is also home to the ATP Tour and has some of the nation's finest tennis facilities. The city also has several public tennis court facilities located in almost every section of town.

Jacksonville's miles of waterways offer some of the area's finest freshwater and deep-sea fishing too. In July, The Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament nets lucky anglers a winner's purse of $275,000 in cash and prizes.

You're never far from an exciting family vacation. Jacksonville is just two hours from Orlando and major theme parks like Walt Disney World and Sea World.

4. High National Ranking
In January 1999, Expansion Management magazine rated Jacksonville the #1 Hottest City in America for Business Relocation. And it's no secret, since 1995, Jacksonville has earned prestigious rankings as one of the top ten "Best Places to Live" by Money magazine. What's more, in February of 1999, a Sprint Business poll ranked Jacksonville in the top 100 "Most Productive Cities in America."

5. Location and Transportation
Jacksonville is very well connected. The Jacksonville International Airport is the 4th fastest growing airport in North America with 200+ arrivals and departures everyday. If you prefer to travel by water, the St. Johns River and Intracoastal Waterway make travel by boat a breeze, easily connecting downtown to the beaches. For commuter travel, Jacksonville also boasts a newly completed Skyway Express Monorail System.

6. Major League Sports
When it comes to sports, there's no doubt Jacksonville is definitely in the big leagues. Every fall, join 80,000 fans in ALLTEL stadium as they cheer on the Jacksonville Jaguars, the NFL's 1999 Central Division Champions.

One of the PGA Tour's premier golfing events, The Tournament Players Championship, is held here at Sawgrass every year in March.

For exciting pro tennis action, the ATP Tour Classic is held each October. Neighboring Amelia Island plays host to national WTA Championship Tournaments including the DuPont All American Championship.

There's also minor league baseball featuring the Jacksonville Suns, and Southern Hockey League action provided by the JacksonvilleBarracudas.

7. Arts and Culture
With 15 area museums, Jacksonville is a flourishing place for the arts. The Cummer Museum of Art, the Jacksonville Museum of Contemporary Art, the Alexander Brest Museum and Gallery at Jacksonville University offer a breathtaking variety of traveling exhibits and permanent collections to suit every taste. For music enthusiasts, the Jacksonville Jazz Festival attracts thousands each year and has featured such prominent artists as Dizzy Gillespie, Sarah Vaughn, Miles Davis, and Harry Connick, Jr.

The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra is highly acclaimed as one of the premier orchestras in the Southeast. From September through May, the symphony delights all, playing to packed houses in the state-of-the art Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts. The very popular "Starry Nights" outdoor series features the symphonic orchestra with top performers such as Kansas, The Four Tops, and Al Jarreau. Broadway comes to Jacksonville every year as well. The FCCJ Artist Series brings a selection of Broadway's finest to town every year. Seasons have included Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, Rent and Ragtime.

For the children, the Jacksonville Zoo features over 800 rare and exotic animals and has recently opened several exciting new animal exhibits.

8. Business Climate
With an average age of 35, Jacksonville is a vibrant city that attracts thousands of young professionals every year. More than 45,000 new working age residents move to the First Coast area each year, providing a business climate that's pretty pleasing. In fact, more than 50,000 new jobs have been created by companies expanding or relocating here during the past five years. And with virtually no unemployment, there seems to be no end to the growth or opportunity.

9. Schools & Education

Public Schools
The Duval County Schools offer students a wide range of educational opportunities. School is in session depending upon county from the middle of August to the middle of June. As an alternative to neighborhood schools, students may also choose to enroll in the Magnet School program. Highly successful, this educational approach offers a full academic program, but also caters to students' special talents with an additional focus on 30 specialized subjects such as music, drama, dance, language immersion, engineering, science, technology and a Montessori program.

The outstanding educational opportunities in our high schools have earned Jacksonville national attention. Newsweek magazine ranks Stanton College Preparatory School as the nation's #1 high school. Also high on the list is Paxson High School, ranked #7. Also worthy of note, Stanton College Preparatory School's 1998 International Baccalaureate class ranked first in Florida and second in the nation in the number of IB diplomas.

Private Schools
There are over 100 private schools in Jacksonville, offering both co-ed and single-gender classrooms, boarding schools, college prep and church/parochial schools.

Colleges & Universities
Jacksonville has 25 institutions of higher learning, including three four-year universities, the University of North Florida, Jacksonville University and Edward Waters College, and one community college, Florida Community College Jacksonville. There are also several smaller colleges offering continuing education courses, doctorate programs and specialized degrees.

10. Getting Around
Two major interstates and several major arteries make getting around in Jacksonville very easy. Below is a map showing the greater Jacksonville area, surrounding counties and the beaches.

To get from the Jacksonville International Airport to VISTAKON®: Take 1-95 South and exit East onto Butler Boulevard. Travel approximately 1.5 miles and exit on Southside Boulevard/South. Then take the first left onto Deerwood Park Boulevard and then take the first right into the VISTAKON® parking lot.