JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville nabbed the No. 2 spot on Forbes’ annual list of the “Best Places to Live in Florida” released Thursday.
It ranked just after Tampa for a variety of factors. The list was compiled using data from the U.S. Census, law enforcement agencies, labor statistics, cost of living and access to health care. Strong banking institutions also factored into the equation.
Jacksonville beat out other well-known Florida cities such as Miami, Orlando, Tallahassee and Gainesville.
Rebecca Cooper has lived in the River City for 40 years and moved around from various parts such as San Marco, the Beaches and now Riverside.
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“It’s a wonderful city. It’s got water. It’s got sports. The people are nice. It’s a delightful city to live in,” Cooper said.
“Everything’s just fresh, and I love the sunshine. It’s really easy to walk and bike around here and it feels like a neighborhood,” Selestine Overholser said.
A lot of people News4JAX spoke with said they appreciate the city because of one of Jacksonville’s best attributes: its position right by the Atlantic Ocean. That’s one of the reasons why Indiana resident Conner Larkin said several of his family members have moved here.
“I think the sun, the sand and the weather are hard to beat. Good hospitals in this area and friendly people in the area. So, that’s good,” Larkin said.
For Sandra Powell, she said Jacksonville is a “nice place to raise kids.”
The Forbes writers also included the surrounding counties like Baker, Clay, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam and St. Johns for the article.
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