Up-and-Coming Neighborhoods in Jacksonville, FL
9 neighborhoods with growth potential — still affordable, increasingly walkable, and showing improving conditions. Ranked by affordability, walkability, employment, safety, and air quality.
Up-and-Coming Neighborhoods in Jacksonville, FL — Key Takeaways
Jacksonville has 9 neighborhoods showing growth potential. The most affordable up-and-coming area is San Marco with a median home value of $151,600. The most walkable is Downtown Jacksonville with a Walk Score of 95/100.
Jacksonville has a population of 949,611, a median household income of $55,530, an unemployment rate of 4.7%. The median home value citywide is $260,000, which is 8% below the national average of $281,900.
Data sourced from the US Census Bureau, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA AirNow, Walk Score, and FEMA. Last updated: March 2026.
Top 3 Up-and-Coming Neighborhoods
| # | Neighborhood | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown Jacksonville | 60 | ||
| San Marco | 55 | ||
| Springfield Jacksonville | 51 | ||
4 | Avondale | 48 | |
5 | Riverside Jacksonville | 44 | |
6 | Ortega | 43 | |
7 | Mandarin | 37 | |
8 | Five Points | 24 | |
9 | Southside Jacksonville | 22 |
Rankings by Category
Top 5 up-and-coming neighborhoods in Jacksonville for each growth-potential metric.
Lowest median home value
- $151,600
- $192,100
- $192,900
- $297,500
- $309,000
Highest Walk Score
- 95/100
- 87/100
- 75/100
- 73/100
- 66/100
Lowest violent crime rate
- 3.8 per 1K
- 3.8 per 1K
- 3.8 per 1K
- 3.8 per 1K
- 3.8 per 1K
Lowest Air Quality Index
- AQI 45
- AQI 45
- AQI 45
- AQI 45
- AQI 45
Lowest median rent
- $902
- $996
- $1,019
- $1,177
- $1,501
Highest median household income
- $105,676
- $99,563
- $81,429
- $80,601
- $48,807
Lowest poverty rate
- 2.1%
- 4.3%
- 5.4%
- 10.2%
- 15.7%
Up-and-coming neighborhoods are identified using a Growth Potential Score that evaluates five weighted categories. These areas are still affordable relative to the city average but show strong fundamentals that suggest improving conditions and future appreciation.
- Affordability vs City Average
- 30% weight
- Walkability & Transit
- 25% weight
- Job Market (Unemployment)
- 20% weight
- Safety
- 15% weight
- Environment (Air Quality)
- 10% weight
Neighborhoods that are priced below the city median home value score higher on affordability. Walkability reflects the Walk Score, indicating access to amenities on foot. A low unemployment rate signals a strong local economy. Safety is measured by violent crime rates per 1,000 residents. Air quality uses the EPA Air Quality Index (AQI), where lower values indicate cleaner air.
Data Sources: US Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR), EPA AirNow, Walk Score, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer. All data is updated on a rolling basis as new government releases become available.