Jacksonville receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Punta Gorda
Jacksonville
Opportunity: Jacksonville is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
41 · Bottom 21%
vs44 · Bottom 26%
Growth: Punta Gorda is the more favorable of the two.
Growth
79 · Top 6%
vs72 · Top 17%
Climate: Jacksonville is the more favorable of the two.
Climate
80 · Top 6%
vs80 · Top 6%
Physical resilience: Jacksonville is the more favorable of the two.
Physical resilience
3 · Bottom 1%
vs9 · Bottom 2%
Housing affordability: Jacksonville is the more favorable of the two.
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 8%
vs85 · Bottom 26%
Access: Punta Gorda is the more favorable of the two.
Access
87 · Top 31%
vs76 · Bottom 49%
Economic stability: Jacksonville is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
39 · Bottom 33%
vs71 · Top 24%
Measured values
| Metric | Punta Gorda | Jacksonville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 201,064 | 207,906 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,952 | $68,148 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,592 | $33,305 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 295/sq mi | 273/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $328,900 | $236,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,464 | $1,265 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 83.8% | 63.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.2% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.0% | 26.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.0% | 11.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3,186 | 1,868 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 15.8 | 9.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -10.5% | 32.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 51°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.0" | 56.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 30 mi | 40 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 24.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 59.9 | 27.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Punta Gorda
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Jacksonville
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Punta Gorda
56
Your Score
51
Area Score
Jacksonville
62
Your Score
56
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Punta Gorda, FL Metro Area · Jacksonville, NC Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology