Jacksonville vs Tampa
Compare Jacksonville, FL and Tampa, FL on cost, HUD rent, safety, climate, commute, schools, outdoor access, food, and source-labeled relocation data.
The verdict
Housing costs are close: ACS median rent is $1,315/mo in Jacksonville and $1,377/mo in Tampa, with HUD 2-bedroom benchmarks of $1,604/mo and $1,851/mo. Across the four public-data screens (cost/climate, work, daily life, community) the metros land close together (244 vs 252 summed points), so the right pick depends on which tradeoffs you can live with.
Climate is a real differentiator: Jacksonville runs summer highs near 92°F and winter lows near 42°F, while Tampa runs 91°F and 52°F. If lower housing cost leads your list, start with Jacksonville; if walkable daily life matters more, Jacksonville screens stronger on the walkability proxy (16 vs 6). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
Tampa leads 70 to 65 on the cost and climate screen.
Tampa leads 80 to 71 on the work screen.
Jacksonville leads 50 to 43 on the daily life screen.
Both cities are close on the community screen.
$85,000 in Jacksonville is roughly $99,167 in Tampa using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | Jacksonville | Tampa | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $1,315/mo | $1,377/mo | Jacksonville |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $1,604/mo | $1,851/mo | Jacksonville |
| Median home value | $281,000 | $273,000 | Tampa |
| State income tax | None | None | Tie |
| Average commute | 28.4 min | 30.1 min | Jacksonville |
| Safety score | 57/100 | 54/100 | Jacksonville |
| School score | 5/10 | 5/10 | Tie |
| Walkability estimate | 16/100 | 6/100 | Jacksonville |
| Outdoor score | 7/10 | 6/10 | Jacksonville |
| Restaurants per 100k | 187.0 | 170.2 | Jacksonville |
| Mountain distance | 278 mi | 418 mi | Jacksonville |
| Coast distance | 16 mi | 2 mi | Tampa |
What stands out
Jacksonville stronger signals
- No state income tax
- Trail access within 44 miles
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
- Named beach within 16 miles
Jacksonville tradeoffs
- Higher natural disaster risk
Tampa stronger signals
- No state income tax
- Major airport access
- Public park/protected-area signal within 0 miles
- Named beach within 9 miles
Tampa tradeoffs
- Higher natural disaster risk
Common questions
Is Jacksonville cheaper than Tampa?
On public benchmarks Jacksonville is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $1,315/mo in Jacksonville vs $1,377/mo in Tampa; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $1,604/mo vs $1,851/mo; state income tax is 0% vs 0%.
Is Jacksonville or Tampa safer?
Jacksonville screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 57/100 for Jacksonville and 54/100 for Tampa (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, Jacksonville or Tampa?
School screens show 5/10 for Jacksonville vs 5/10 for Tampa, alongside the safety scores above. Both screen similarly — district-level research will matter more than the metro gap.
How different is the climate between Jacksonville and Tampa?
Jacksonville: summer highs near 92°F, winter lows near 42°F, disaster-risk band 3/3. Tampa: 91°F / 52°F, disaster-risk band 3/3 (NOAA climate normals).
Keep researching
Score this comparison with your own constraints
Public comparison pages use equal-weighted signals. The questionnaire reweights cities around your housing budget, climate preferences, work needs, family needs, and daily-life priorities.
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