Searching for New Home in Jacksonville (appointed, low crime, public school)

[cysyca]

I want to relocate to Florida in a couple of years. I am looking at Jacksonville in St. John County away from the beach, inland. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Also, I prefer a location with a low crime rate.

[pioneer8]

I never lived in Jacksonville, however, if you have little ones in the public school system, I would urge you to find out more. I was having a discussion with a woman (not to long ago) and she was very disappointed in the EXTREME overcrowding. Yikes. Also, I looked in this book that I have (Cities Ranked and Rated- Copyrite 2004) and the crime stats are not so hot. The numbers are as follows: U.S. average for violent crime rate 456.0- Jacksonville violent crime rate 867.2- The good news is, Jacksonville's rate was going down much faster than the U.S. average. Property crime was similar. Just as a side note, this book lists 3 pros and 3 cons for each area. JV's pro's were: Cost of living, Attractive downtown, and Arts and culture. The con's were: Low educational attainment, Urban sprawl, and Entertainment. It's a helpful book. Good luck in the Sunshine State.

[mally]

Geographically, Jacksonville (Jax) is very large; crime rates and other factors vary considerably by area. I live in NW St. Johns county, and, as far as I know, the crime rate is fine. st johns county is rapidly transforming from a largely rural area into a more-dense residential area, with lots of new homes being built. Prices are high. I think that it is a good area to look into, and see what you can afford.

[cysyca]

Thank you for your responses. I have no little kids, just my husband and I wanted to move to Jacksonville because its not too far from Atlanta, GA. We wanted a nice home in a gated community in the suburbs because I refuse to live in big city such as Jacksonville. I love where I live now (in Virginia) but its too cold and I love palm trees and want to forget the change of seasons. I know I have to deal with hurricanes but that life. What other counties in the suburb of Jacksonville would you recommend? Remember, I prefer not to live near a beach, more inland, and less crime. All comments would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.