Jacksonville Beach receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
St. Augustine
Jacksonville Beach
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 47%
vs54 · Bottom 45%
Growth
51 · Top 49%
vs49 · Bottom 47%
Climate
81 · Top 13%
vs85 · Top 10%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 41%
vs54 · Bottom 46%
Housing affordability
57 · Bottom 17%
vs79 · Bottom 48%
Schools
66 · Top 32%
vs79 · Top 15%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs91 · Bottom 46%
Economic stability
31 · Bottom 8%
vs66 · Top 38%
Measured values
| Metric | St. Augustine | Jacksonville Beach | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,351 | 23,654 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,151 | $120,698 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,204 | $79,262 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,612/sq mi | 3,233/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $439,800 | $575,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,653 | $1,848 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.0% | 68.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.6% | 59.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.1% | 4.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 84 | 86 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.5 | 3.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -66.4% | 56.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 48°F | 45°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.6" | 51.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.2 min | 24.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 49.9 | 46.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 22 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.00 | 20.04 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 60.2% | 77.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 56.9% | 74.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 52.6% | 22.9% | 2024-25 school 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
St. Augustine
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Jacksonville Beach
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.
St. Augustine
61
Your Score
60
Area Score
Jacksonville Beach
70
Your Score
66
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: St. Augustine, FL · Jacksonville Beach, FL · How this is calculated: methodology