Jacksonville, FL Vs Charlotte, NC (Palatka: neighborhood, purchasing, pros and cons)

[Thundarr457]

I have spent considerable time in both and I prefer Jacksonville because of its proximity to water. If you love NASCAR than Charlotte is for you. Charlotte has dreadful traffic jams and is very spread out. Charlotte has very low priced housing and you get a lot of house for your money, maybe its because less people want to live there since the bank implosion. Jacksonville specifically St Johns has the best schools in FL. For me there is something magical about being next to the ocean.

[JoeP]

Charlotte has very low priced housing and you get a lot of house for your money, maybe its because less people want to live there since the bank implosion.

Jacksonville:

2007 1,306,788
2010 1,345,596
2015 1,449,481

Charlotte:

2007 2,086,153
2010 2,217,012
2015 2,426,363

[Thundarr457]

You are referring to Charlotte Metro which "The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) is defined as seven counties in North Carolina and three counties in South Carolina". Jacksonville is "Jacksonville-St. Marys-Palatka, FL-GA Combined Statistical Area, a Combined Statistical Area (CSA), which included metropolitan Jacksonville as well as the Palatka, Florida and St. Marys, Georgia Micropolitan Statistical Areas (comprising Putnam County, Florida and Camden County, Georgia).

The area I was referring to is Mecklenburg County which includes the city of Charlotte and has a population of 919,628 vs Duval County which includes the city of Jacksonville and has a population of 864,263.

If you read my post I said "maybe" it was because of the bank implosion. Do you have any explanation of why the houses are so cheap there? We saw 3500 sq ft all brick houses in good neighborhoods for the mid 300's.

[Florida2014]

Originally Posted by Thundarr457

Jacksonville specifically St Johns has the best schools in FL. For me there is something magical about being next to the ocean.

You're referring to two different things here. St Johns Co isn't Jacksonville......Jacksonville is Duval County and it does not have a high ranking in terms of schools.

[Thundarr457]

Originally Posted by Florida2014

You're referring to two different things here. St Johns Co isn't Jacksonville......Jacksonville is Duval County and it does not have a high ranking in terms of schools.

I am aware of that. I was just posting the population figures for the county containing the city.

[StreetSmarts]

Charlotte definitely.

I can say that Jax is hot and hardly has a true winter, so if that's your thing, Jax wins that. But as far as the other things, I'd say Charlotte. Rather easily actually.

[Runninglikethieves]

Jacksonville for me

I almost always take the coastal option over a landlocked place, for the fact that I surf. Not being on the coast is not an option for me anymore. Not even on the Gulf Coast!

[bawac34618]

Originally Posted by spalam01

In regards to the following criteria in that order

a. Enjoyable/ Warmer tolerable weather year round, without harsh winters
b. Quality/Cost of living/cost of home or rentals
c. Sr level career opportunities (IT/Corporate/R&D)
d. Affordable quality education for kids through public schools
e. Tolerable traffic during peak hours/availability of public transportation (reasonable/livable commute time between 10 [preferable] to 40 mins)
f. Scenic beauty/easy access to recreation
g. Peaceful / reasonably less crime rate

Which one would you choose Charlotte, NC or Jacksonville, FL

Thanks!

a) Jacksonville
b) Jacksonville
c) Tied, but edge to Charlotte, except for IT which Charlotte is surprisingly weak in
d) Not sure
e) Charlotte
f) Tied. Jacksonville has the beach. Charlotte is within a stones throw of the foothills of the Appalachians
g) Not sure, but my guess would be Charlotte

[Runninglikethieves]

Originally Posted by Florida2014

You moved somewhere and didn't like it? Shocked!

I'm flabbergasted that love boating actually posted being very glad they are in Jax. I know it was 5 years ago. But it was still kind of odd to see.

[fsquid]

Charlotte is better for white collar job opportunities and has a more sophisticated population. We prefer JAX still due to cost of living and being near the water. The schools in SJC are comparable to the ones in the richer parts of Mecklenburg County in our view.