Best Suburbs Near Jacksonville, Florida

With over 900,000 residents, Jacksonville is the most populous city in Florida. Located along the Atlantic shore, Jacksonville is a hot spot for beach lovers looking to soak in the sun. With its zoo, museums, golf courses, and planetarium, there’s never a shortage of great activities to partake in here. Those who want to live near this great city without being surrounded by so many people have the option of choosing excellent nearby suburbs to call home. We’ve compiled a list of the 10 best suburbs to help inform your decision.

10. Oakleaf Plantation

• Population: 20,315
• Median Home Value: $211,500
• Mean Travel Time to Work: 33 minutes
• School Ranking: A-
• Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 2,336
• Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 394

Oakleaf Plantation is a planned community located southwest of Jacksonville. Amenities include recreation centers, clubhouses, waterparks and playgrounds. Oakleaf Plantation also resides next to a 20,000-acre state forest, which is perfect for hiking and observing wildlife.

9. Lakeside

• Population: 30,943
• Median Home Value: $160,000
• Mean Travel Time to Work: 31 minutes
• School Ranking: A-
• Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 2,646
• Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 446

As its name implies, Lakeside lies along the shore of Doctors Lake south of Jacksonville, which means it’s the perfect place to live if you want to spend your days boating and fishing. Aside from waterfront views, Lakeside offers all the other amenities you’d expect in a suburb, such as parks, restaurants, and coffee shops.

8. Yulee

• Population: 11,491
• Median Home Value: $173,700
• Mean Travel Time to Work: 30 minutes
• School Ranking: A-
• Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 178
• Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 29

Drive 24 miles north of Jacksonville and you’ll find yourself in Yulee. Not only does Yulee have the St. Marys River for all of your boating needs, but multiple coastal beaches are just a short drive away, making this suburb ideal for beach lovers. Additionally, Yulee is home to the White Oak Conservation Center, which spans over 17,000 acres and is dedicated to wildlife conservation. Find your new home in Yulee today!

7. Fernandina Beach

• Population: 12,558
• Median Home Value: $316,500
• Mean Travel Time to Work: 24 minutes
• School Ranking: A-
• Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 280
• Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 19

Fernandina Beach is located on Amelia Island at the northern tip of Florida, right along the Atlantic coast. If beachside views aren’t enough to tempt you, Fernandina Beach also offers a great education system, golfing, sports amenities and museums. The historic district has rows of restaurants and retail stores to explore as you enjoy the summer sunshine. Your new home in Fernandina Beach is waiting for you!

6. St. Augustine

• Population: 15,415
• Median Home Value: $260,800
• Mean Travel Time to Work: 20 minutes
• School Ranking: A-
• Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 571
• Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 93

Known as the nation’s oldest city, St. Augustine sits 40 miles southeast of Jacksonville, along the coast. When residents aren’t hitting the beach, they’re exploring the historic downtown with its cafes, bars and antique stores, or perhaps visiting one of the museums. History buffs will enjoy visiting Fort Matanzas, which was built by the Spanish in the 1740s. Homebuilders are hard at work here, so check out what they have to offer!

5. Fleming Island

• Population: 27,126
• Median Home Value: $255,800
• Mean Travel Time to Work: 30 minutes
• School Ranking: A
• Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 307
• Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 20

Located just southeast of Lakeside, Fleming Island sits along the shore of the St. Johns River. Although Fleming Island is primarily a residential community, it still has all of the amenities you’d look for, including a shopping mall, places of worship and restaurants. Additionally, Fleming Island has multiple parks and recreation centers to enjoy. Search for your new Fleming Island home!

4. Kingsland, Georgia

• Population: 17,949
• Median Home Value: $147,500
• Mean Travel Time to Work: 22 minutes
• School Ranking: A
• Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 227
• Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 20

Kingsland is 35 miles north of Jacksonville, located just past the Florida-Georgia border. It is home to multiple parks, including the Kingsland Veterans Memorial Park, which features the yearly Memorial Day Parade. The community is also a short drive away from other favorite sights, such as Crooked River State Park and Cumberland Island. Take a look at the homes available in Kingsland.

3. Nocatee

• Population: 13,266
• Median Home Value: N/A
• Mean Travel Time to Work: 33 minutes
• School Ranking: A+
• Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 801
• Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 135

Nocatee is a planned community primarily within St. Johns County. Home to a wide variety of parks, Nocatee residents can enjoy everything from dog parks to splash parks (which include a zip line). Those seeking additional outdoor adventures can visit the Nocatee Preserve, which encompasses 2,400 acres of open land. Take a look at the new home options available here.

2. Fruit Cove

• Population: 29,362
• Median Home Value: $325,600
• Mean Travel Time to Work: 31 minutes
• School Ranking: A+
• Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 1,023
• Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 173

Fruit Cove is located approximately 25 miles south of Jacksonville. Like other suburbs, there’s no shortage of lovely parks here, including Julington Creek Plantation Park. The community is situated along the St. Johns River and Old Bull Bay, providing residents ample choices in waterfront homes and boating opportunities. With a low violent crime rate, Fruit Cove is a great, safe place to call home. Browse the house listings in Fruit Cove!

1. Palm Valley

• Population: 20,019
• Median Home Value: $461,500
• Mean Travel Time to Work: 24 minutes
• School Ranking: A+
• Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 958
• Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 162

The top suburb on our list is Palm Valley. Located 27 miles southeast of Jacksonville, Palm Valley is close to the Atlantic coast, with beaches only a short drive away; Mickler’s Landing is a local favorite! Palm Valley also has a wide variety of restaurants, shops and parks to be enjoyed. With a low violent crime rating and short mean travel time to work, why wouldn’t you want to live here? 

Additional Suburbs

Suburb	Pop.	Median Home Value	Mean Travel to Work	School Rank	Property Crimes	Violent Crimes
Jacksonville Beach	23,669	$348,100	23 minutes	B+	915	143
Middleburg	13,008	$126,800	41 minutes	B+	247	55
Atlantic Beach	13,831	$353,500	27 minutes	B	246	30
Palatka	10,465	$78,100	19 minutes	C	630	110
Bellair-Meadowbrook Terrace	13,343	$120,600	26 minutes	N/A	2,823	476
St. Marys, Georgia	18,567	$180,100	22 minutes	B-	170	14

It’s Easier Here

With its sandy beaches, palm trees and golfing opportunities, Florida is a popular place to retire. However, plenty of families seek to move to the state every year to enjoy these very same features. It’s truly easy living in Florida, including in and around a big city like Jacksonville. 

NewHomeSource pulled data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Services and the U.S. Census Bureau. In the event exact crime data was unavailable, estimates were used. These factors were entered into an algorithm to calculate a score for each suburb.