Jacksonville, Florida, and Huntsville, Alabama, both offer unique qualities for tourists and prospective residents. Jacksonville, being much larger and more populated, provides a host of urban amenities, oceanside living, and thriving industries. In contrast, Huntsville is renowned for its aerospace and military technology industries, offering a lower cost of living and a family-oriented environment. This report will compare the two cities across various factors including crime/safety, cost of living, work and economy, and more.
Distance between
Jacksonville, FL and
Huntsville, AL : 418.0 miles
Jacksonville's population is larger by 340%. Its population has grown by 218,997 people (29.8%) since 2000. The population of Huntsville has grown by 58,747 people (37.1%) during that time.
Jacksonville, Florida, reports higher crime rates compared to the national average, with property crime being more prevalent than violent crime. In contrast, Huntsville, Alabama, has a lower crime rate compared to Jacksonville and is around the national average for both property and violent crimes. It's important for potential residents and tourists to take precautions and be mindful of their surroundings in both cities.
Cost of Living
The cost of living is lower in Huntsville compared to Jacksonville. This is influenced by factors such as housing, food, transportation, and health care costs. This makes Huntsville more affordable for individuals looking to relocate, particularly families and retirees.
Income Tax
Florida residents, including those in Jacksonville, do not pay state income tax. Alabama residents, including those in Huntsville, do have a state income tax with rates ranging from 2% to 5%.
Property Tax
Huntsville, Alabama has one of the lowest effective property tax rates in the country, at about 0.41%. Jacksonville, on the other hand, has a higher property tax rate, with homeowners in Duval County, where Jacksonville is located, facing a median property tax payment of $1,615 annually.
Sales Tax
Jacksonville has a 7% sales tax, which is relatively average on a national scale. In contrast, Huntsville residents are subject to a 9% sales tax, one of the highest in the country.
Income
Type
Jacksonville
Huntsville
Estimated median household income
$58,621
$70,757
Estimated per capita income
$32,953
$42,232
Cost of living index (U.S. average is 100)
88.3
83.8
If you make $50,000 in Huntsville, you will have to make $52,685 in Jacksonville to maintain the same standard of living.
Geographical Conditions
Jacksonville is coastal, providing direct access to the beach and the Atlantic Ocean, with a subtropical climate. Huntsville, situated in the Tennessee River Valley, experiences more diverse geography, such as mountains and lakes, offering a range of outdoor activities.
Both cities offer quality education options. Jacksonville is home to notable institutions such as the University of North Florida and Jacksonville University. Huntsville hosts the University of Alabama at Huntsville and Alabama A&M University. Both cities have a range of public, charter, and private schools for K-12 education.
Jacksonville's economy is diverse, ranging from healthcare, finance, logistics, to the military. Jacksonville possesses one of the largest military presence in the country. Huntsville is known as a technology hub with a significant focus on aerospace and military tech. This results in a high demand for skilled professionals within these industries.
Biggest Employers
In Jacksonville, the largest employers include Baptist Health, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and the Naval Air Station. In Huntsville, the leading employers are NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, the U.S. Army's Redstone Arsenal, and Huntsville Hospital.
There were 1,310 building permits issued in Jacksonville in 2012 (353 more than in 2011) compared to 1,483 building permits issued in Huntsville in 2012 (465 more than in 2011).
In Jacksonville (Duval County), 47.9% voted for Democrats and 51.5% for Republicans in 2012 Presidential Election. In Huntsville (Madison County), 40.2% voted for Democrats and 58.9% for Republicans.
Elections
Type
Democrats
Republicans
Other
Year
Jacksonville
Huntsville
Jacksonville
Huntsville
Jacksonville
Huntsville
2020
51.3%
44.8%
47.5%
52.8%
1.2%
2.4%
2016
47.2%
38.4%
48.6%
54.8%
4.2%
6.8%
2012
47.9%
40.2%
51.5%
58.9%
0.6%
1.0%
2008
49.0%
41.9%
51.0%
56.9%
0.0%
1.2%
2004
41.7%
40.2%
57.9%
59.0%
0.3%
0.8%
2000
40.9%
42.6%
57.7%
54.9%
1.4%
2.5%
1996
44.2%
41.9%
50.0%
50.0%
5.8%
8.1%
Breakdown of population affiliated with a religious congregation
Type
Adherents
Congregations
Religion
Jacksonville
Huntsville
Jacksonville
Huntsville
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
15.8%
19.9%
22.3%
21.8%
CATHOLIC CHURCH
9.0%
4.2%
2.8%
1.4%
EPISCOPAL CHURCH
1.2%
1.0%
2.3%
1.4%
MUSLIM ESTIMATE
0.7%
0.3%
0.6%
0.7%
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA
0.3%
0.5%
0.9%
0.9%
LUTHERAN CHURCH
0.3%
0.3%
0.7%
1.2%
SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH
0.3%
1.9%
1.4%
2.5%
AMERICAN BAPTIST CHURCHES IN THE USA
0.1%
0.6%
0.2%
0.2%
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN AMERICA
0.1%
0.7%
0.9%
1.4%
Weather
Jacksonville is located on the northeastern coast of Florida, which means it experiences hot, humid summers and mild winters, with occasional rain throughout the year. On the other hand, Huntsville features a humid subtropical climate with four distinct seasons, including mild winters and hot, humid summers.
Weather and climate
Type
Jacksonville
Huntsville
Temperature - Average
68.3°F
60.2°F
Humidity - Average morning or afternoon humidity
78.4%
76.7%
Humidity - Differences between morning and afternoon humidity
44%
39%
Humidity - Maximum monthly morning or afternoon humidity
92%
90%
Humidity - Minimum monthly morning or afternoon humidity
48%
51%
Precipitation - Yearly average
51.8 in
56.7 in
Snowfall - Yearly average
0 in
7.2 in
Clouds - Number of days clear of clouds
15.8%
16.7%
Sunshine amount - Average
69.6%
60.9%
Sunshine amount - Differences during a year
16%
20.2%
Sunshine amount - Maximum monthly
74%
64.5%
Sunshine amount - Minimum monthly
58%
44.3%
Wind speed - Average
7.2 mph
7.8 mph
Average climate in Jacksonville, Florida
Average climate in Huntsville, Alabama
Air pollution
Type
AQI
CO
NO2
OZONE
PB
PM25
SO2
Year
Jacksonville
Huntsville
Jacksonville
Huntsville
Jacksonville
Huntsville
Jacksonville
Jacksonville
Huntsville
Jacksonville
Huntsville
2018
78
66
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
24.5
31.9
N/A
N/A
7.1
9.3
N/A
N/A
2017
74
60
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
24.7
30.4
N/A
N/A
5.8
6.7
0.7
N/A
2016
65
74
0.50
N/A
N/A
N/A
24.9
33.4
N/A
N/A
5.2
7.8
0.4
N/A
2015
63
67
0.35
N/A
N/A
N/A
25.4
30.2
N/A
N/A
4.9
7.7
0.3
N/A
2014
66
60
0.27
N/A
N/A
N/A
24.3
31.5
N/A
N/A
5.9
N/A
0.7
N/A
2013
68
60
0.18
N/A
N/A
N/A
23.0
32.5
N/A
N/A
5.3
N/A
0.7
N/A
2012
66
81
0.10
N/A
N/A
N/A
24.0
34.0
N/A
N/A
5.8
N/A
0.6
N/A
2011
88
82
0.28
N/A
N/A
N/A
26.6
33.9
N/A
N/A
8.1
N/A
0.8
N/A
2010
77
82
0.31
N/A
N/A
N/A
26.4
32.4
N/A
N/A
7.1
11.1
0.8
N/A
2009
72
73
0.16
N/A
N/A
N/A
25.0
31.3
N/A
N/A
8.5
12.2
0.6
N/A
2008
75
70
0.15
N/A
N/A
N/A
27.6
30.4
N/A
N/A
10.0
N/A
0.9
N/A
2007
92
85
0.29
N/A
N/A
N/A
28.4
32.1
N/A
N/A
11.4
N/A
1.2
N/A
2006
87
84
0.35
N/A
N/A
N/A
29.0
31.1
N/A
N/A
10.8
N/A
1.4
N/A
2005
93
81
0.42
N/A
N/A
N/A
26.5
28.6
N/A
N/A
12.2
N/A
1.8
N/A
2004
92
80
0.40
N/A
N/A
N/A
25.2
28.1
N/A
N/A
12.4
N/A
1.4
N/A
2003
55
82
0.43
N/A
5.3
N/A
21.6
27.5
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
1.6
1.6
2002
59
83
0.49
N/A
N/A
N/A
22.2
26.6
0.003
N/A
N/A
N/A
1.7
N/A
2001
74
80
0.49
N/A
N/A
N/A
24.0
27.3
0.009
N/A
N/A
N/A
2.5
N/A
2000
85
95
0.52
N/A
N/A
N/A
25.1
29.5
0.017
N/A
N/A
N/A
3.0
N/A
Natural disasters
Type
Jacksonville
Huntsville
Tornado activity compared to U.S. average
75.2%
246.2%
Earthquake activity compared to U.S. average
18.1%
262.1%
Natural disasters compared to U.S. average
24%
17%
Transportation
In Jacksonville, one can rely on the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, which offers bus service, a skyway monorail, and a ferry service. Huntsville's public transportation options are limited to bus services provided by the Huntsville Shuttle.
Transport
Type
Jacksonville
Huntsville
Amtrak stations
1
0
Amtrak stations nearby
1
0
FAA registered aircraft
566
280
FAA registered aircraft manufacturers and dealers
34
5
Means of transportation to work
Type
Jacksonville
Huntsville
Bicycle
0.2%
0.1%
Bus
1.1%
0.2%
Carpooled
9%
6.5%
Car alone
86.5%
91.5%
Motorcycle
0.2%
0%
Taxicab
0.2%
0.2%
Walked
1.2%
0.9%
Average travel time to work
Type
Jacksonville
Huntsville
Average
27.5 min
28.5 min
Other means
25 min
19.3 min
Public transportation
43.7 min
31.7 min
Private vehicle occupancy
Type
Jacksonville
Huntsville
Average
1.1
1.1
Drove alone
89.4%
93.2%
In 2 person carpool
8%
4.7%
In 3 person carpool
1.7%
1.3%
In 4 person carpool
0.7%
0.6%
In 5-6 person carpool
0%
0.2%
In 7+ person carpool
0.2%
0%
How many people usually rode to work in the car, truck or van.
Real Estate
Jacksonville's real estate market is larger and more expensive compared to Huntsville. The city offers a variety of housing options from downtown apartments to suburban homes. In contrast, Huntsville offers affordable housing options, with prices significantly lower than the national average.
Neighborhoods
Jacksonville offers diverse neighborhoods, each with its unique charm, from beachfront communities to urban city living. Huntsville is more suburban, with quiet, family-friendly neighborhoods. Both cities offer a mix of historic areas and more modern developments.
Houses and residents
Type
Jacksonville
Huntsville
Houses
422,315
104,141
Average household size (people)
2.5
2.3
Median year apartment built
1985
1985
Median year house/condo built
1987
1983
Length of stay in the house since moving in
12.5 years
12.6 years
Houses occupied
386,283 (91.5%)
96,551 (92.7%)
Houses occupied by owners
226,429 (58.6%)
59,015 (61.1%)
Houses occupied by renters
159,854 (41.4%)
37,536 (38.9%)
Median rent asked for vacant for-rent units
$1,444
$1,286
Median monthly housing costs
$1,154
$935
Median price asked for vacant for-sale houses and condos
$260,045
$246,721
Estimated median house or condo value
$239,400
$250,400
Median numbers of rooms
5.6
6
Median number of rooms in apartments
4.3
4.3
Median number of rooms in houses and condos
6.3
7.3
Median house price - detached houses
$282,276
$257,633
Median house price - in 2-unit structures
$177,341
$66,368
Median house price - in 3-to-4-unit structures
$144,947
$111,845
Median house price - in 5 or more unit structures
$220,508
$246,169
Median house price - mobile homes
$87,589
$113,555
Median house price - Townhouses or other attached units
$213,709
$196,303
Median house price - All housing units
$266,926
$253,177
Median house age
36
39
Renting percentage
38.3%
42%
Housing density (houses/condos per square mile)
557.4
598.4
House value disparities
33.2%
36.8%
Household income disparities
44.2%
45%
Median household income for houses/condes with a mortgage
$83,160
$100,571
Median household income for apartments without a mortgage
$59,777
$69,689
Housing units without a mortgage
2,439 (1.6%)
806 (2.3%)
Housing units with both a second mortgage and home equity loan
8,460 (5.5%)
2,456 (6.9%)
Housing units with a mortgage
150,468 (98.4%)
35,004 (97.7%)
Housing units with a home equity loan
255 (0.2%)
0 (0%)
Housing units with a second mortgage
11,378 (7.4%)
2,651 (7.4%)
House/condo owner moved in on average (years ago)
10
10
House/condo renter moved in on average (years ago)
1
1
Housing units lacking complete kitchen facilities
1.5%
2%
Housing units lacking complete plumbing facilities
1.4%
1.1%
Housing units in structures
Housing units in structures
Jacksonville
Huntsville
One, detached
59.4%
67.1%
One, attached
6.1%
3.5%
Two
2.1%
2.0%
3 or 4
5.3%
5.2%
5 to 9
5.0%
6.3%
10 to 19
7.9%
6.6%
20 to 49
4.9%
3.2%
50 or more
5.3%
5.3%
Mobile homes
3.8%
0.9%
Boats, RVs, vans, etc.
0.2%
0.0%
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units
Self-employed workers in own not incorporated business
19,601
5,111
State government workers
13,692
4,814
Unpaid family workers
1,066
668
Industries and Occupations
Jacksonville's prominent industries include health care, finance, logistics and the military. Top occupations range from management, business, science, arts, and sales. In Huntsville, aerospace and defense, information technology, and bioscience are the major industries.
Jacksonville is known for its top-notch medical facilities, home to the Mayo Clinic, Baptist Health, and UF Health. Huntsville also offers excellent healthcare services, notably the Huntsville Hospital System, the second-largest hospital in Alabama.
Health (county statistics)
Type
Jacksonville
Huntsville
General health status score of residents in this county from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent)
Jacksonville boasts a robust transportation infrastructure served by multiple highways, an international airport, and sea port. The city also offers a city-wide monorail system. Whereas, Huntsville has a well-developed road network, a regional airport, and local transit systems, but lacks the extensive public transportation options seen in Jacksonville.
Infrastructure
Type
Jacksonville
Huntsville
Hospitals
25
10
TV stations
17
9
Arenas or stadiums
2
1
Bank branches located here
191
62
Bank institutions located here
31
20
Main business address for public companies
23
3
Drinking water stations with no reported violations in the past
20
3
Drinking water stations with reported violations in the past
HMDA - Conventional home purchase loans - Applications denied
Year
Jacksonville
Huntsville
1999
5,422
536
2000
4,132
393
2001
3,038
234
2002
2,017
259
2003
3,563
261
2004
4,781
393
2005
7,134
556
2006
8,812
607
2007
5,298
425
2008
1,719
178
2009
676
104
Culture and Food
Both cities boast a rich cultural scene. Jacksonville, with its proximity to the ocean, offers diverse seafood cuisine and hosts various music festivals. Huntsville has a strong Southern culture with a focus on BBQ cuisine and hosts the notable Huntsville Ballet Company.
Sports Teams
For sports fans, Jacksonville hosts the Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL team). The city also has a vibrant college sports scene. Huntsville doesn't have major league teams but is home to the Huntsville Havoc (a minor league hockey team) and an active local sports community.
Jacksonville, FL
Huntsville, AL
