Jacksonville, an Atlantic coast paradise, has risen in popularity for those looking to live in Florida. With its proximity to nature, outstanding restaurants, and countless ways to spend your time, it shouldn’t come as a shock that 902,500 people are living in Jacksonville. As more people move to Jacksonville, it’s important to keep in mind that the median home sale price is $317,750, and the average rent price for a 2-bedroom apartment in Jacksonville is $1,594.
Don’t worry if those numbers don’t fit in your budget – we’ve got options to help you find a home or apartment that does. To help you find the right place to live, we’ve gathered a list of the 4 best affordable Jacksonville suburbs to check out. And they’re all less than 40 minutes away from the city. No matter where you live, you’ll still be close enough to Jacksonville to explore all the city has to offer without the price of living there.
#1: Bellair-Meadowbrook Terrace
Median home price: $253,000
Driving distance from Jacksonville: 30 minutes
Bellair-Meadowbrook Terrace, FL homes for sale
Bellair-Meadowbrook Terrace, FL apartments for rent
Bellair-Meadowbrook Terrace, with a median home sale price of $253,000, claims the first spot on our list of affordable Jacksonville suburbs. About 15,000 people live in this suburban area and you’ll only be about a 30-minute drive away from downtown Jacksonville. Once living here, you can check out the Bellair-Meadowbrook Terrace Community Center or check out a new book at Bellair-Meadowbrook Terrace Library.
#2: Nassau Village-Ratliff
Median home price: $286,000
Driving distance from Jacksonville: 25 minutes
Nassau Village-Ratliff, FL homes for sale
Nassau Village-Ratliff, FL apartments for rent
Nassau Village-Ratliff comes in as the second most affordable suburb in Jacksonville. Only 25 minutes from the city center you can visit popular attractions like the Little Talbot Island State Park and Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens in just a quick drive. When living in this suburb of 5,000 people, you can spend the day checking out the nearby Four Creeks State Forest.
#3: Macclenny
Median home price: $315,000
Driving distance from Jacksonville: 30 minutes
Macclenny, FL homes for sale
Macclenny, FL apartments for rent
Macclenny takes the third spot on our list, with a median home sale price of $315,000 and only a 30-minute drive away. Even with a population of about 7,000, there are plenty of cool areas to explore in Macclenny. If you find yourself moving to the third most affordable suburb, make sure to check out the many different parks and recreation areas.
#4: Lakeside
Median home price: $327,700
Driving distance from Jacksonville: 40 minutes
Lakeside, FL homes for sale
Lakeside, FL apartments for rent
Only slightly more expensive than Macclenny is Lakeside, the last suburb on our list. Lakeside is known for its beautiful views of Doctors Lake where you can fish, kayak, and canoe. You can also spend the day at Moody Avenue Park or drive to nearby Jennings State Forest to bike or hike on one of the trails. No matter where you are in Lakeside, there’s a fun outdoor activity to take part in.
Methodology:
Affordability is based on whether a suburb is less than the median sale price of Jacksonville and under a 40-minute drive from downtown Jacksonville. Median home sale price data from the Redfin Data Center during July 2022. Average rental data from Rent.com during July 2022. Population data sourced from United States Census Bureau.
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This post first appeared on Redfin.com. To see the original, click here.