JACKSONVILLE NEIGHBORHOODS
Jacksonville has a variety of homes and neighborhoods to suit every taste and budget. Jacksonville feels
like home no matter where you live: in a home on the river, a condominium at the beach, an apartment, or a townhouse in a
quiet neighborhood. Take a look at a brief description of Jacksonville's communities, neighborhood by neighborhood.
Scroll down or choose a topic from the following list.
Arlington
This community has abundant waterfront property, surrounded by the St. Johns on the west and
north and the Intracoastal on the east. Fort Caroline National Park overlooks the site of a former colony of French Huguenots.
Jacksonville University, Jones College and a small airfield are located in Arlington. There are many apartment complexes;
homes come in all styles and price ranges. Arlington has easy access to schools, churches and downtown.
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The Beaches - Atlantic, Neptune and Jacksonville
Atlantic, Neptune and Jacksonville beaches are bordered
by the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. Atlantic and Neptune beaches are made mainly residential with single-family
homes and public beach access. Look for entertainment, shopping and dining along Atlantic Boulevard and A1A. Jacksonville
Beach is further south and offers a mix of residential, commercial, retail and light industrial sites. Activities include
festivals, fairs, volleyball tournaments, offshore boat races and pier fishing.
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Clay County / Orange Park
Located south of the city on the west side of the St. Johns River, Orange
Park's rural pastoral qualities and proximity to Jacksonville make it a popular residential area. Orange Park is home to St.
Johns River Community College, one of the region's major shopping malls, the Orange Park Kennel Club, country clubs, golf
courses and medical facilities. Waterways are plentiful and easily accessible for boating, fishing, kayaking or jet skiing.
Clay County has three other incorporated municipalities: Green Cove Springs, Keystone Heights and Penney Farms. Middleburg
offers rural areas for hunting and bird watching.
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Mandarin
Primarily rural until the end of the 1960s when developers discovered this area, Mandarin has
grown steadily since. The Mandarin Community Club works diligently to maintain the community's architectural integrity. Mandarin
is rich in history, and for years different preservation groups have sought to maintain that history either in family holdings,
trunks, church and school archives or through Mandarin Community Club involvement. Mandarin homes range from estates on the
St. Johns River to small country homes with stables.
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Nassau County / Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach
Just north of Jacksonville on I-95 is Nassau County,
where Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach are located. This area is known around the globe as a resort destination with exclusive
oceanfront properties and intracoastal waterfront property. Year-round residents have a variety of single family homes, apartments
and condominiums to choose from at varying prices. Downtown Fernandina is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
for late Victorian architecture preservation. The area features bed and breakfast inns, restaurants and recreational activities,
historic Centre Street and Fort Clinch State Park. Fernandina is the home of the annual Shrimp Festival. Amelia Island Plantation
hosts the annual Bausch & Lomb Championship tennis tournament. Visit the world famous Ritz-Carlton Resort or take a day
cruise from downtown Fernandina.
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North JacksonvilleNorth Jacksonville runs roughly from 20th Street north to the county border and from
Interstate 295 on the west almost to the Atlantic Ocean. This is a vast area with waterways, new housing developments, and
attractions, including the Anheuser Busch Brewery, the expanding Jacksonville Zoological Gardens, Huguenot Memorial Park and
Little Talbot Island Park. Growth is due in part to the opening of the Dames Point Bridge in 1989, the expansion of the airport,
and business activity in Imeson Industrial Park and the International Tradeport. North Jacksonville has convenient shopping,
restaurants, medical facilities, schools, churches, and residential communities, and is only minutes from Downtown.
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Ortega
Bordered on the east by the St. Johns River, to the north and west by the Ortega River and south
of Riverside, this community is a peninsula on the river. Convenient private schools, area churches, and small parks along
the river contribute to Ortega's charm. The Florida Yacht Club and Timuquana Country Club offer private social and recreational
opportunities. Worth Magazine ranked Ortega 46th among the nation's top 50 wealthiest neighborhoods. The area offers just
about any style of architecture and homes range in size from average sites to stately, sprawling estates. The 1920s Ortega
River Bridge is one of the oldest functioning drawbridges.
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Riverside and Avondale
This community is bordered to the west by Highway 17 and the river to the east,
between Interstate 10 to the north and the Ortega River to the south. These are well-established, historic neighborhoods on
the west bank of the St. Johns River. There are five public schools located within walking distance of both neighborhoods.
Riverside has become an attractive spot for young professionals who want a short commute to work. Homes include modest duplexes
to elegantly restored historic residences and waterfront estates. Riverside is a medical hub with the St. Vincent's Medical
Complex and private medical offices scattered along the river. Avondale is a traditional neighborhood with small boutique-type
shopping, quaint streets and small-town charm. There are over a dozen parks with tennis courts, softball fields, and paths
for jogging, walking or biking. Its close proximity to downtown makes it a great location for short commutes.
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St. Johns County / Fruit Cove & Switzerland
South of Duval County, Switzerland and Fruit Cove are
nestled along the east bank of the St. Johns River in St. Johns County. This area is a bedroom community for Jacksonville
and St. Augustine. It is a prime location for single-family residences in a variety of subdivisions. The lack of commercial
development and the preservation of the scenic Bartram Trail (Highway 13) are appealing to many residents.
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St. Johns County / Ponte Vedra Beach
Ponte Vedra Beach is located in the northeast corner of St. Johns
County, south of Jacksonville Beach and north of St. Augustine. This coastal town stretches along Highway A1A, aside carefully
preserved wetlands, from the Intracoastal Waterway to the Atlantic Ocean. Ponte Vedra Beach is proud to be home to some of
the BEST schools in the nation, both Public and Private.
Ponte Vedra Beach is a small coastal town of 35,000 people
and home to the Guana River State Park.
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St. Johns County / St. Augustine
The nation's oldest city, St. Augustine was founded by the Spanish
in 1565, some 55 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, and 42 years before the English colonized Jamestown. Rich
with history, the city has more than 50 attractions, including the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, the Spanish Quarter,
the Fountain of Youth and Flagler College, and cobblestone streets. Single-family homes, condominiums and apartments are available.
Features include fine dining, cafe-style eating, shopping and touring. On the outskirts of town are shopping malls and retail
centers.
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San Jose and San Marco
San Jose and San Marco are bordered to the west by the St. Johns River and by
U.S. 1 to the east. A popular area for young professionals, San Jose and San Marco are close to the river and downtown. The
area features boutique shopping and entertainment in San Marco Square, and private country clubs and private schools along
San Jose Boulevard. Spanish architecture is most common in this area. A number of public schools are within these neighborhoods,
enabling students to walk to school.
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Southside
Centrally located, the Southside is bordered by Arlington to the north and east, St. Johns
County to the south and San Marco and I-95 to the west. This is literally the southernmost area of urban Jacksonville and
is in the middle of all other Jacksonville communities. Southside has the area's largest grouping of apartment communities.
Many new developments are less than a year old. Commuting, shopping and recreation are convenient. Housing includes single-family
homes, condominiums and apartment complexes. Residents enjoy local golf courses, abundant dining and entertainment, and easy
access to the beaches via J. Turner Butler Boulevard.
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Westside
The Westside is a large community starting just north of I-10 to Clay County, bordered on the
east by I-295 and stretching west to Baker County and east to Riverside. Four small incorporated towns make up the Westside:
Baldwin, Marietta, Maxville and Whitehouse. Other neighborhoods on this side of Jacksonville are Ortega Forest, Ortega Hills,
Argyle, Lakeshore, Venetia, Cedar Hills, Hyde Grove, Murray Hill and Normandy. Much of the area is wooded, offering hunting
and outdoor activities. Both NAS Jacksonville and NAS Cecil Field are located here, as well as Herlong Airport, a small, general
aviation fixed base operation. Homes and apartments are available in all sizes and price ranges.
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Springfield
Historic Springfield and Downtown are defined by I-295 to the west, the Trout River to the
north and the St. Johns River to the south and east. Downtown and Springfield offer opportunities for entertainment and the
convenience of living near Jacksonville's business district. Preservation has been a catalyst in the revitalization of Springfield,
located just north of the Downtown business district. Springfield is the largest residential historic district in Florida
with wide streets and blocks of architecturally distinguished houses.
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All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.