r/relocating • u/HappyCelebration6989 • 4d ago
Help settle a debate: Charleston SC or Jacksonville FL?
Hey yall, I'm from Paris, married to a Marylander and currently living in DC.
DC is well connected, full of culture, has nice restaurants, but honestly I really don't like it.
It's overpriced and people are a bit too nerdy and pretentious to my taste. Really not my scene and I'd rather be in Paris if it's to deal with that.
That said, moving back to Europe isn't the plan for now. Would love to live on the beach and we've got friends in both Jacksonville and Charleston.
What would you say is the best option?
People say Jacksonville is boring but I enjoy it every time we visit and I feel like the job market is better than Charleston. Also less prone to floods which is a big plus for me. Charleston is undeniably cool, but I'm also thinking it's better to move to a new place before it becomes cool if it makes sense.
Anyway, also curious to hear what you guys think of the local crowds.
TIA!
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u/BlueEchoOne 4d ago
Charleston is much more pretentious than DC, and the people in Jax don’t know what that word means. Have you been to Tampa/St Pete/Sarasota?
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u/HappyCelebration6989 4d ago
😂😂 Great way to sum both places up. I haven't been no, but less interested because more exposed to hurricanes
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u/TwentyTwoEightyEight 3d ago
Tampa sucks, st Pete is nice, but only in the nice areas, which are expensive and Sarasota has a pretty cool vibe too. But you couldn’t pay me to live in Tampa again. You’re not far from the beach but everything else is the worst.
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u/hereisouttasight 4d ago
Charleston for sure. I don’t think anyone in the US would recommend Jacksonville for anything.
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u/HappyCelebration6989 4d ago
Honestly, from the time I've spent in both places, I don't get the hate Jacksonville is getting, what makes you say that?
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u/Background-Doubt3441 4d ago edited 4d ago
I’ve lived in both places. Jacksonville - I was advised to keep my circle close and focus on my career there, and completely understood why within 3 months. Jacksonville is a huge small town with an earned reputation for enjoying problems and having 2 degrees of separation. Also a full out affordable housing crisis post covid. Certain aspects of specialized medicine/outliers doing very well. Otherwise, it’s a blue collar, military town with beach/golf community boomers. Income and lifestyle would completely change the experience in a way that’s more dramatic than most cities.
Charleston has more of a “downtown” and neighborly feel in my opinion.
Edit- you’re from Paris. The food isn’t great either place, but way better in Charleston and flooding is definitely not better in Jax.
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u/k7eric 4d ago
Flooding is much better in Jax...Charleston regularly floods and is top 3 in the 10 most common flooded coastal cities in the US. Jacksonville ranks 9th. Food is much better in Charleston but parking in non-existant in every part you want to actually go. Jax is also much, much cheaper to live in (though both are reasonable compared to DC).
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u/Background-Doubt3441 3d ago edited 3d ago
Wow! I stand corrected there on the flooding. I luckily somehow missed that in Charleston. I think the numbers are largely skewed in Jax, given that gerrymandering made it the biggest US city by landmass. Imo that’s the only reason why it’s more affordable on paper comparatively.
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u/k7eric 3d ago
Honestly given the choice I would pick Charleston every time though. The only plus (for me) to Jax is cost and proximity to other nicer areas. But Charleston is beautiful, historic and has great food and culture. You just have to adjust to the horrible parking during the week and the traffic during the summer. I would personally pick to live in Mt Pleasant even though many of my summers were at Folly.
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u/Prestigious_Coffee28 4d ago
Jacksonville is a city I’m considering moving to specifically because of housing affordability. Is Zillow misleading me?
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u/Avid_Reader87 4d ago
People are just jerks. I’ve lived in Jacksonville for almost 30 years.
It’s a good city, with a lot to do, and Mayor Deegan is doing a lot to improve the city.
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u/Huge_Strain_8714 3d ago
I had the best tacos, ever! in Jacksonville. I drove around neighborhoods also looking at affordable housing. I may go back to look again.
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u/Avid_Reader87 3d ago
If you’re ever interested in living in the Brookview area, near Atlantic and St John’s Bluff we want to sell to move down south to be near family.
$285k for a 3 bed 2.5 bath house, fully renovated in 2022 before we bought it in 2023.
New roof, AC, plumbing, electrical, bathrooms, cabinets.
It doesn’t have a garage though, but most of these old concrete block homes converted them if they ever had one.
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u/leave-no-trace-1000 4d ago
Jacksonville is not as bad as it’s made out to be. But Charleston is way better.
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u/HappyCelebration6989 4d ago
Hence the hype I suppose. Could JAX ever experience the same thing?
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u/Weak-Pea8309 3d ago
They’ve been talking about revitalizing Jax since I moved here 20 years ago. It is not going to happen. You need to be satisfied with how it is now plus more development/sprawl over the next 20 years.
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u/ToasterBath4613 4d ago
That’s true and it’s also one of my favorite parts about living in Jacksonville. Keep not living here! 👍🏾
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u/dreamsif 4d ago
Maybe St. Augustine would be a nice blend of the two... close to JAX but Charleston type historic with a more relaxed vibe.
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u/Bigot-Consequences 3d ago
I used to live in St Aug, and I don't recommend it (any more). It is gridlock, tourists, and nightmare sprawl. Visit, don't move there.
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u/HappyCelebration6989 4d ago
That's a good point, do you know what the job market is like over there?
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u/deadtofall12 4d ago
STA is going to be small town jobs - healthcare, teaching, etc. There are jobs in Jax if you’re willing to commute ~1 hour. Jax will get a ton of hate on Reddit, but it really can be a nice area to live depending on where you land and what you’re looking for.
I tend to go with my gut and how I feel when I’m in a city, and a random opinion on the internet can’t overrule that imo.
I grew up in the area if you have any specific questions. Happy to help, and hope you find peace and happiness wherever you end up.
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u/No_Water_5997 4d ago edited 4d ago
I grew up in the fruit cove area and that’s a good split between the Jacksonville and st Augustine. It’s an easy commute into downtown Jacksonville if you have job there but you can easily get to st Augustine as well. It was also developed decades ago and is well enough established that it’s not changed a ton over the last 5 years like many other parts of Jacksonville and st Augustine have. It’s got some of the prettiest neighborhoods IMO. You’re on the river side of the city rather than the beach side but only about 30-45 minutes to ponte vedra and St Augustine beaches.
If you want older vibes Ortega, Riverside, and Avondale are beautiful areas, they’re not coastal but gorgeous well established areas within a relatively easy drive to every area of the city.
I also like green cove springs over in clay county. It’s more small town vibes and you get more for your money over there. Realistically Jacksonville is a commuter city so if you’re ok with a commute to work and don’t mind driving there aren’t many areas of the city that are off limits.
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u/dreamsif 4d ago
I do not. I would imagine it commutable to jobs in JAX tho. Probably a strong tourist industry. Friends i knew there worked in hospitality. I do know i loved it there so much when i stopped over on a move to south Florida... that i almost just stayed. Very chill... no pretentiousness like Charleston.
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u/lemonorzo333 4d ago
Did a Parisian just say yall? I love that so much. I’d rather be in Paris too if I had to deal with expensive and pretentious.
I think you’re going to feel the same about Charleston. Nice restaurants, very over priced, very pretentious and elitist. Expensive. It’s not less prone to floods, i have been there when it’s flooded. I’m from the Carolinas and I love Charleston but I’d only visit personally. But obviously finding a job will be important!
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u/lemonorzo333 4d ago
Also I know traffic is bad everywhere but Charleston is really another level
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u/HappyCelebration6989 4d ago
Hard to beat DC but I could see that
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u/violadrath 4d ago
It’s definitely not worse than DC. I promise. It is quite bad though. A place where too many people moved and the infrastructure never caught up.
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u/HappyCelebration6989 4d ago
Haha sure I did! Thank you for the local input, I think I'm on the same page but don't get me wrong, I love Charleston's old charm. The job market is a big question as you said and I'm curious to see how locals / culture compare to JAX
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u/TheGratitudeBot 4d ago
Thanks for such a wonderful reply! TheGratitudeBot has been reading millions of comments in the past few weeks, and you’ve just made the list of some of the most grateful redditors this week!
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u/HonestGrenache 4d ago
Seems like you answered your own question. My preference is Charleston, but it has been absolutely grown in a way that it no longer feels like that place I knew. Jacksonville was always the armpit of Florida when I was growing up. It's improved, but there is nothing about it that I find appealing.
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u/Plaidismycolor33 4d ago
having lived and worked both CHS and JAX, Id pick Chucktown ten times over. Food is better, people are more friendlier, beaches are cleaner.
However, the job market might be better around Jax, but that solely depends on your current work situation.
Both states are subject to hurricanes, Chas can be less muggy and be cooler more so during the year. Both state’s politics are crappy and education isnt all that great.
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u/East_Worldliness_170 4d ago
Charleston. Are you sure you're enjoying all of Jacksonville? Or just the beaches? Maybe if you live outside of Jacksonvile. There are a lot better cities in FL though FL as a state had a lot of environmental, political, economic and infrastructure issues that will worsen that make it maybe not the best option over all. We left after 12.years there for a reason. Then again I know SC has its issues too.
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u/HappyCelebration6989 4d ago
I felt like, being less touristy, locals where actually nicer in JAX than in CHS. Also CHS seems to be saturated with newcomers and not any less exposed to environmental/infrastructure related issues.
Don't get me wrong tho, it's more charming than JAX for sure. I'm simply not absolutely requiring old charm because I can simply go visit family back home whenever I crave good old buildings and monuments.
I'm moreso curious to know what distinguishes the local cultures and crowds
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u/East_Worldliness_170 4d ago
That makes sense. I wasn't saying Charleston for the charm though. Just because Jax and fl in general has so so many issues. But as you said, so does SC.
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u/East_Worldliness_170 4d ago
One that might not be as bad in Charleston though is availability of drinking water and the rapidly dwindling sources. Which also causes lowering of the water table that increases occurrence of big sink holes.
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u/HappyCelebration6989 4d ago
Meaning JAX is prone to big sink holes and may run out of freshwater soon?
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u/East_Worldliness_170 4d ago
Florida in general. Like sink holes that a whole hotel.falls into (see Kissimmee.) When we left they were already talking about how they couldn't safely pull much more from the St. John's river or water table and very expensive desalination would be next. Haven't kept up with it since. Also look up red tide and algae blooms with fish and dolphin die offs. Part of even the Atlantic coast had to be evacuated a couple times bc the air was a bit toxic from the blooms. The oceans are just getting too warm and a lot of the restrictions on fertilizer run off removed. Seriously really look into the environmental aspect especially but also the economic (partly bc of environmental, partly bc of political decisions)
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u/HappyCelebration6989 4d ago
Okay, looks like I've got much more reading to do... Thank you for sharing all that I really appreciate!
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u/East_Worldliness_170 4d ago
You're welcome! Come back here if you have more specific FL questions. We experienced it as young newlyweds/new professionals renting through people trying to move forward in careers with a house and a child. We miss parts of it too so it's not all bad. But also if you want to own a home look at things like the unique upkeep FL requires, pests (like fire ants, termites and roaches), allergies and the weird way FL housing markets behave. It is a unique place in so many ways.
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u/No_Water_5997 4d ago
Ya the environmental impacts of the overdevelopment of the state are scary and VERY real. As a native Floridian, Jacksonville in particular, whose family goes back 5 generations it’s sad and scary to see what’s happening in Florida. I hope the next governor does something about the rapid growth of the state. Rick Scott can burn for repealing the moderate growth laws Florida had in place that kept growth and development sustainable and gave counties the ability to deny development and set a stable pace for it.
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u/East_Worldliness_170 4d ago
So agreed. I'm so sorry you are dealing with it still. We were always also aghast that there weren't water regulations with more bite to them as well.
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u/No_Water_5997 3d ago
I no longer live in Florida but my family and best friends are still there. I still feel very rooted to Florida even though I live elsewhere and seeing the change is devastating and knowing how much it’s negatively impacting the environment breaks my heart. So much of what made Florida unique and beautiful is being destroyed by development and mass amounts of people moving into the state. The culture has really shifted too, and not for the better in my opinion. I’d love to move back but my husband, kids, and I have built a life in his home state, though we go back as often as possible. I actually just got back from a visit last night. Perhaps one day we’ll make our way back though.i don’t ever want to love my ties to it.
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u/flossiedaisy424 4d ago
I don’t think Charleston will be any less pretentious than DC, but I can’t imagine willingly moving to Florida either.
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u/AgileDrag1469 4d ago
I want someone to understand me the way Katt Williams understands Jacksonville. 🐆
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u/susifallah 4d ago
Jacksonville is a DUMP but is close to many nicer area. Without a doubt, Charleston is a better choice.
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u/Ok-Equivalent-5131 4d ago edited 3d ago
Charleston is more pretentious. I haven’t spent much time there but pretentious fancy southern is really its whole schtick.
I have been to Jacksonville a ton. My grandma lived there and had a college roommate from there. Jacksonville is not pretentious but it does kinda suck imho.
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u/lauradiamandis 4d ago
I am from NC and while I ordinarily would not pick SC over much (roads terrible, a couple decent cities but outside them it’s rough), Florida is just not great. Jobs pay even less, climate is awful, hurricanes, people.
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u/CardStark 2d ago
As someone who has recently looked for jobs in both places, Jacksonville has a much better job market than Charleston, at least for architects and engineers.
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u/hideous-boy 3d ago
Paris to Jacksonville is an astronomical downgrade. Charleston isn't much better but is still better than Jacksonville in pretty much every way
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u/gegagome 3d ago
Lived in coastal California for 23 years, and 90mins away from LA and now live in Saint Johns which is very close to Jacksonville.
Never been to Charleston though
I can say that things arent so bad. It’s is just like any other big city, there is everything you want and also things you don’t want.
There are a reasonable amount of huge companies, and lots of opportunities if you are qualified, in a way it feels like a mini NY or mini LA in terms of corporations.
A couple of weeks ago Jacksonville hosted Ironman. It is clear this area is seeing lots of investment and when one day I got lost in Riverside I was surprised at how nice the neighborhood was. You can clearly see some gentrification going on, which whichever side you want to be on this issue means that people are willing to pay.
So that’s my perspective from living in Santa Barbara, California and being in LA many many many times and finding that Jacksonville isn’t as bad as they say.
I enjoy going to the symphony, and seeing musicals all in the same building, so it feels like the art scene here is vibrant and accessible.
Having said that I miss the many music acts, and art that you have access to in LA. That’s one of the things I miss.
Good luck
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u/your-new-fixation 3d ago
I hated Jacksonville for the first year I lived there, but I began to enjoy it after that. Hands down has a huge selection when it comes to food. There’s plenty of stuff to do there too.
Downside is that the crime rate is high in a lot of the areas.
Crazy enough, I lived there for 7 years and miss it.😅
So yeah, I may be the odd ball, but I vote Jacksonville.
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u/Difficult-Ad4364 3d ago
Jacksonville for beach culture. Life is easy here, there is enough culture and there are cars and airplanes when you want more.
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u/rocknroll2013 4d ago
Split the difference and check out Beaufort/Bluffton/Hilton Head or Savannah
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u/yazi077 4d ago
I love Hilton Head. I’m not sure about the job situation there, but I would move there to retire in a heartbeat.
IMO it’s better to visit Savannah than live there. It’s 45 minutes or so from HHI, but outside of the tourist areas downtown I don’t see the appeal, and their beach (Tybee) is a dump compared to SC beaches.
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u/No_Water_5997 4d ago
Agreed on the visiting Savannah part. I lived there for 7 years and unless you go downtown there’s nothing to do and the rest of the city is left to rot in favor of bolstering downtown Savannah. If you have kids and don’t budget private school you’re screwed because the schools are awful, at least they were when I lived there. The suburbs are ok but pooler has become a victim of suburban sprawl.
I grew up in Jacksonville, I split time between my mom’s in st John’s county annd my dad’s house in mandarin. I just got home from visiting my family there last night. Honestly I’d move back in a heartbeat if I could. I left in 2008, moved to New England for 2 years, then to Savannah for 7 years, and have been back in northern New England for 8.5 years.
I love it here but Jacksonville is home and was a great place to grow up. There are times I wish we’d moved back to Jax instead of to my husband’s home state but we have a great life here and he has a unicorn of a job so we’re rooted in New England for the forseeable future.
My only complaint is the development. It’s changed so much and changes every time I go home to visit. There are many places that are unrecognizable. But we never lack for things to do while we’re there and I know my family and friends keep themselves busy with fun things to do.
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u/yazi077 4d ago edited 4d ago
I grew up in Augusta, so we came to Savannah occasionally with family, or on a school trip (downtown arts festivals and Fort Pulaski, mostly). I enjoy some of the shops on River St., and the restaurants. I’ve always wanted to stay at the Hyatt Regency, but haven’t yet. When I was a kid a family friend took his boat down the river from Augusta to downtown Savannah, docked it, and spent the night at the Hyatt.
But I’d never move there.
I don’t know Jax that well. I used to go to the Landing when it was new, but outside of a few places downtown I don’t know much there. I’ve never been to Jax Beach, I’d like to go sometime. I have been to Fernandina Beach and Amelia Island, that was nice, and St. Augustine and its beach was fun too.
P.S. The schools in Augusta weren’t great, either.
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u/No_Water_5997 3d ago
I lived in Jax beach for a few years when I first moved out of my mom’s house. I worked at a restaurant on 1st street. It was a lot of fun! Of course I was 19-21 so the bars and restaurants were always a blast. I lived close enough to the beach that I’d take my dogs on long walks on the beach almost every evening. I haven’t been out there in years though. My best friend lives a block off the beach in Vilano beach, which is like 5 minutes from downtown st Augustine, so when we want to go to the beach we go to her house and walk over since it takes like 3 minutes to walk to the beach from her place.
I love downtown St Augustine. It’s more touristy than it was when I was growing up but it’s still a lot of fun to go walk around. Fernandina is really nice, I love the Main Street area with the shops and restaurants. Fort clinch state park is beautiful and apparently it’s great for shark tooth hunting.
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u/JoeFlood69 3d ago
Charleston is a very cool city. Jacksonville has a bad reputation, whether it’s earned or not I’m not sure. I’ve only ever been a couple of times for no more than a day at a time. If I had to choose one I would pick Charleston 100% of the time
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u/sansworth 4d ago
Charleston is definitely more quaint, but the cost to buy or rent in relation to the wages there is atrocious. Probably the worst city in the US in that regard. The traffic is also terrible for a city of its size due to the infrastructure not keeping up with the growth.
Don’t know much about Jacksonville. It’s probably the more practical choice though for day to day living.
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u/HappyCelebration6989 4d ago
That's what I'm thinking, I love CHS but worried it's past its prime
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u/Traditional_Set_858 4d ago
My friends a flight attendant and often speaks with people who are from Charleston when she flys to/from there and they either say they all moved because it’s too expensive or they want to get the hell out of there because the cost of living is insane unless you live right outside of Charleston but then you’re dealing with still insane traffic. Also they said Charleston floods quite a bit. Clearly some people love it down there so not trying to discourage you but there’s a reason why a lot of people have left they say it’s great place for a vacation not a place to live
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u/Prettypuff405 4d ago
If you’re considering Florida, consider the rising insurance costs. Homeowners insurance, car insurance are very expensive there. Good credit, no accidents and a used car(2016) was still $200 a month for coverage
I’d also consider healthcare costs to be quite high in Florida compared to other states.
I’d pick Jacksonville over Charleston tbh. I agree about the job market, Jacksonville has more career opportunities than SC. Presented of a national sports team goes a long way to get investment ( infrastructure/ companies willing to move up that area) in a city and that’s key.
Florida has problems, but South Carolina has more problems.
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u/HappyCelebration6989 4d ago
Thank you for the honest take on Florida and I took notes of the issues regarding insurance. Pointing out South Carolina's issues is a rare take here I feel, do you mind elaborating a little?
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u/Prettypuff405 4d ago
Outside of the major cities, South Carolina is very very poor. Crumbling infrastructure, low wages compared to costs of rent and other cost of living. Depending on what field you’re in, it may be difficult to find a job. There’s a lack of diversity in industry so you’d do best if you’ve trained with a job title that requires training/ certification ( like teacher, healthcare, attorney). It’s not really the place if your a finance professional
Charleston would be good if you’re really looking to lean in to southern culture, but it’s very touristy. I’m not sure how you feel about a slowwwwww pace of life.
International travel is probably something you’d have to consider and Florida might have better airport options.
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u/HappyCelebration6989 4d ago
Makes complete sense, thank you for pointing that out! I looks like I've got to look deeper into environmental issues regarding Forida, so It sounds like this won't be an easy choice – unless we (reluctantly) decide on staying in DC...
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u/sideyard19 4d ago
Charleston and Jacksonville's metro areas are two of the fastest growing in the US. Both metro areas grew in population by about 20% from 2010 to 2020. Charleston's per capita and median income figures are about 10% higher than Jacksonville's. On the other hand, Jacksonville in total population is about twice as large as Charleston.
Both cities have fun beach areas and both cities have rivers running through them. Jacksonville Beach and the other beach cities are some of the most popular areas to live in Jacksonville. Jacksonville has great neighborhoods such as San Marco and also big suburban areas such as St Johns County with brand new office complexes and shopping centers. Jacksonville also has neighborhoods all along the river.
The big difference is that Charleston has a gorgeous historic city center, while Jacksonville's downtown area still hasn't been redone.
It is interesting that you are wanting to avoid the pretentiousness in DC, because as other commenters have said, Charleston is known for its preppie, genteel (and pretentious) cultural traditions. Jacksonville on the other hand as far as I know has a more laid back, easygoing reputation.
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u/papertowelroll17 4d ago
+1 on your opinions on DC. Such a great city in so many ways but I too find the people extremely annoying with the nerdiness and incessant politics, work talk, and name dropping in every conversation. The only other city I feel that way about is the SF Bay Area with all of the tech dorks.
Unfortunately I don't have experience with either Charleston or Jacksonville, though. Good luck!
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u/Dramatic-Crab8763 4d ago
Don't know much about Charleston, but I'm a Jax native, and it is definitely far from pretentious. It's Maryland with the water and the humidity and the friendliness but with more of a MAGA/conservative presence (but still solid liberal/moderate pockets). It has that perfect "almost cool but not quite there yet" vibe, and there's plenty to do if you look for it. It also helps that Jax has sooooo much beach, so access might be easier than in Charleston. I've also noticed that tropical storms/hurricanes tended to miss us and head straight to the Carolinas. Also, if you plan of having kids, St. John's County nearby has a more than decent public school system (I was raised in t).
Re: politics - TBH I'm a hardcore liberal and I've lived in blue states, but even there we've been effed by changes at the federal level. But it would be worth examining if Florida's specific politics and politicians will impact your life on a daily basis.
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u/Inca-Vacation 4d ago
I live in Jacksonville, have lived in Charleston. I'd do Charleston, really. Jax is fine but very sprawled out. If you do Jax, aim for the beaches.
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u/CrispityCraspits 4d ago
If you like J'ville, you will be able to afford a lot more house. If you are looking for the anti-DC that seems more like J'ville than Charleston.
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u/Athos-1844 4d ago
Jax over Charleston any day. I have lived in Charleston in the past. We had to evacuate for a hurricane. The traffic was backed up almost all the way to Columbia.
If there is a major accident on the highway or bridges, you can be stuck in traffic for hours. There is just not enough alternate routes to get where you are going. You have more driving options in Jax.
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u/amichols561 4d ago
Charleston is generally nicer and would have more to do, but the Jacksonville beaches are crazy underrated and the area is only getting better as Florida continues to populate.
I’d honestly slightly lean Jacksonville since you could probably get something in Atlantic or Jax Beach super close or the water for a fraction of Charleston.
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u/ChessieChesapeake 4d ago
I’ve known a few folks who have moved to Charleston and they described it as very clickish and pretentious. Nice area, but the people weren’t as warm as you’d expect for the southeast.
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u/sweet-alyssums 4d ago
We lived in Jacksonville/St Augustine for 6 years, and only recommend it if you just want beach, golf, fishing, and boating. It sounds good on paper, but there is really nothing else to do there. We did the same thing every weekend and it got so boring, especially once we had a kid. A lot if activities are outside, but it gets so hot in the summer and the sun is strong. The quality of the food also isn't good compared to other cities, with the exception of a couple southern restaurants. There is also a lot of flooding in certain neighborhoods, so if that's a concern you'll have to choose carefully. They woukd flood a couple times a year, so it's not a rare phenomenon. There is also no public transportation, so you need a car. Jax is huge and it takes time to drive places.
In terms of better jobs vs Charleston, I guess it depends on what type of job you want. I had a remote job when we moved, which was good because in my line of work there were no jobs there. Most of my neighbors with high paying jobs were also remote. My husband is in digital marketing and was definitely more limited in jobs than other larger cities, and ended up going from an in person job to a remote job for a salary increase.
Also, you'll be moving from a blue area to a red state. Cost of living is lower than DC, but the schools are underfunded and understaffed. If politics matter to you, it's something to consider.
We moved away last year and it's nice to be somewhere with more museums, events, better schools, and better food options.
If you think people are pretentious and nerdy in DC then maybe Jax is the place for you since it's a very different culture.
I do not think Jacksonville will ever be "cool". Most of the people who have moves there over the last decade are not looking for those types of amenities.
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u/Avid_Reader87 4d ago
The Emerald Trail expansion they’re going to start working on is going to be a big draw.
I was at the city council meeting a couple weeks ago when they were talking about it.
The plan is to develop a walkable/bikeable area with slightly denser living, like what they have in Atlanta.
So you could get off work and once home get to shops without needing a car.
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u/Chuck-Finley69 4d ago
Jax is a small big city. Big enough for an NFL sport team but struggling to develop it's full-time identity.
I live in Tampa area. Jax is Tampa 25 years ago. Charleston is similar to Savannah
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u/worm-researcher 4d ago
I lived in Charleston, now live in Jacksonville (out by beaches). I prefer it here greatly. We still have family in Charleston, which is a great city to visit. But sucks to live there. Jacksonville is oppositie IMO, maybe not the best city to visit, but great to live.
Charleston traffic, small town w/o any infrastructure, big city issues without big city things to do, all make it suck to live. Everyone talks about the culture and history, OK that is a week and then you are done. What are you going to do, go seem Fort Sumter every weekend? No. Food scene is way overhyped, it is not good. People like it because they visit for a weekend, get drunk, and then eat while being charmed by the "culture". DC food scene is so much better. Jax food scene not great either, but you probably know that. You will be disapointed coming from DC with either place on the food side. Charleston floods so easily especially downtown it is a nightmare, much worse than here at least where I am. Had some really sketchy times trying to get through the Charleston on king tides, even without rain.
Income wise, money goes further here, period. People will complain about insurance issues here and cost of living going up (which CHS has as well). But Charleston wages have not nearly caught up with the cost it takes to live/buy in the city. And at least for me, I make a decent amount more here than Charleston and the money goes further, but dont know your background so might be different for you.
From your own comments it seems like you prefer Jax. Don't let the hate of Jax and the love from CHS visitors sway you, its great here (and at least in my case, sucks there). My caveat is that I am out in the beaches area so spend much more time out here vs. Jax proper.
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u/persistance-2024 4d ago
I've been to Charleston and I thought that while it is very beautiful and I love the architecture, it was very expensive and pretentious. And I currently live in a high cost of living city in the southeast so when I say it was expensive, that's where I'm coming from. It seemed like a rich white person's playground lol great for a visit but if you're coming from DC, not sure you would like it.
I've researched Jacksonville extensively because I was thinking of moving there a few years ago. Seems like it would be more down to earth, cute, more affordable, and close to the beach. Probably VERY different than DC.
Bonne chance!
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u/thankfulforyourhelp 4d ago
What about Wilmington, NC? Way less pretentious, still on the coast, but without the issues of JAX? Job market is not great though. VA Beach would be good for jobs, but it has no charm, sadly and is much more conservative than DC.
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u/Applebugg 4d ago
Native Floridian and I’ll probably get downvoted to hell for this but Jax is not cool. You’re thinking of Jax beach which is a completely different place. Very touristy and shiny. Jax itself needs a lot of help that it likely won’t see in my lifetime due to Florida being Florida. That being said, if you’re female and care about your rights and need any kind of healthcare, don’t come here. Seriously. It sucks.
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u/Stock_Block2130 3d ago
When we lived in Jax back in the ‘70’s it was a boring and overwhelmingly hot city. Low costs but very low pay structure. My concern about Charleston would be tourist trap issues/prices and it’s as humid as Jax. IMO neither will have much in terms of jobs so either pick somewhere else or go to whichever has the best jobs for your skill sets. Money matters.
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u/ConsiderationHead308 3d ago
Check out Daniel Island outside of Charleston. I have family there and it’s gorgeous
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u/Blue_wingman 3d ago
I love living in Jax….ur, oh I mean you don’t want to live in Jax. It’s boring. Nothing to do. Move anywhere, but here. Uh, I mean there.
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u/Efficient-Link-9793 3d ago
I am a native Floridian. Miami and Jacksonville are my least favorite cities in the state. I feel Jacksonville has an ugly downtown and is not as safe as other parts of Florida. Tampa/St. Pete, Sarasota, and Orlando are better cities. Tampa/St. Pete has wonderful beaches and Orlando has the theme parks if you are fine (although a lot of traffic as well).
I know nothing about SC so can't speak to that.
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u/CardStark 3d ago
Jacksonville’s downtown is run down, but the buildings themselves are beautiful.
It does have the ugliest beaches in the state, though.
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u/Veronica612 3d ago
Both cities are kind of small. Will you be looking for a job?
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u/HappyCelebration6989 3d ago
My partner would easily find one in engineering, I work in Marketing but considering a career change so pretty open. Would love to contribute in the city's growth and improvement – whichever place we pick
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u/Active-General7166 3d ago
On behalf of everyone from Charleston, pick Jacksonville! Have you considered Savannah?
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u/Endgame-Incoming 3d ago
Not Jacksonville. Most boring city to live in in the US. You’ll meet better people in Charleston too.
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u/HappyCelebration6989 3d ago
Better in what way? If you don't mind elaborating
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u/Endgame-Incoming 3d ago
Friendlier and more interesting. Jacksonville (especially the beach) is much more a locals only type vibe. The can be pretty cold unless you have an in with a group. The urban sprawl and lack of density creates difficulty with having random interactions that spawn friendships.
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u/CardStark 3d ago
lol, I absolutely never saw anything locals only about Jacksonville. I lived there about two years and definitely made friends.
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u/Gullible_Elk7083 3d ago
You being from Paris and DC, you will feel more familiar with the smaller feel and charm of Charleston. However, there will be more to do in Jacksonville, as it is a larger city. It requires a lot of driving tho. Very spread out.
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u/misserow 3d ago
Tu vas regretter fort si tu vas a Jacksonville
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u/HappyCelebration6989 3d ago
Why that?
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u/misserow 3d ago
I'm from Geneva (grew up in Marseille and been to Paris multiple times) and my husband is from KY. He said it's the last place he would want to move to. Too ghetto according to him (not like our ghetto) and the job opportunities suck. It's nice but just for a little vacation. I guess the only positive part is the weather or the politics if you're conservative. I don't know nothing about SC.
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u/Significant_Menu_313 3d ago
I like Jacksonville. The beaches nearby are really pretty and they don't get as pummeled by hurricanes. You're near Amelia Island, which is gorgeous and some nice nature preserves. Jacksonville is a normal city - there are cafes, bookstores, markets, vintage shops, and a TON of great walking locales and kayaking and fishing...
I lived near Charleston for a while and it is a cool place to spend a weekend but I would never want to live there. Many neighborhoods are very dangerous, the crime rates can be shocking, the weather is absolutely abysmal and there are no sea breezes whatsoever. There is just enough romanticization of the War of Northern Aggression to make you feel a little creeped out. Hard pass, I would say.
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u/Historical-Detail-65 3d ago
Jax is perfectly fine and would have as much culture as Charleston, just not as concentrated.
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u/Maxwasrobbed 3d ago
I was in Charleston a few weeks ago and the vibes were immaculate. Particularly out by the beach. If my wife was even slightly open to it I’d start looking at property there myself.
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u/TemperMe 3d ago
Had family in Charleston (plus friends) for years. It’s a crap place to live and work but cool for a quick visit.
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u/Jefffahfffah 3d ago
Lots of culture in Charleston. If you dont have some kind of outdoor hobby (fishing, diving, beach, boating, hunting, etc) then florida can get old fast.
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u/CardStark 3d ago
Charleston is expensive relative to salaries. Jacksonville is much aligned on this. It’s also very easy to get to a lot of interesting places from Jacksonville.
Charleston is a very interesting place, but I, as an American who has never been to France, feel unsettled by how little French influence it has in food or architecture.
Of course, you’re leaving a place with a lot of French influence at least in the planning, so that may not matter at all.
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u/Coast2CoastRiver 2d ago
I agree with DC being overpriced... When I moved I got connected with Suburban Jungle and they really blew me away with how supportive they were with my cross country more. They are a free service that can help you find the right neighborhood for you. They help you navigate everything and can connect you with strategists that know each city. Definitely a great resource to check out!
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u/happygolucky226 1d ago
I’ve lived in both. Love both. But prefer Jax.
Jax has more to offer to me at a more affordable price BUT Charleston has more charm (also more “pretentious” like some have said). Though Charleston has a TON to offer itself. Especially with the foodie scene.
Where you live always makes a huge difference in both cities with accessibility, safety, traffic, and the feel. Personally love mount pleasant SC. Just the traffic became a nightmare.
Here in Jax I prefer our beaches as well.
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u/khaddir_1 1d ago
I’m from Jacksonville and am getting ready to move away again. So boring. You can only go to the beach so many times before you are gonna want more
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u/Laureles2 2h ago
Where you can find a job will be the deciding factor in my opinion. If you can work remote, and don't need a large airport, then Charleston. If you need to find a job, then Jacksonville. Jacksonville is obviously much larger than Charleston with a more diverse economy.
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u/Lazy-Jacket 4d ago
Jacksonville and Charleston can not be different. Chas has a more liberal mix than Jax. Chas is charming. Jax is sprawling. SC is only one step better but FL is Gilead-ish.
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u/Fancy_Documents 4d ago
Florida sucks. The politics have changed the state so much it’s truly heartbreaking to see. Plus you have to deal with hurricanes and the insane and consistently rising cost of homeowners insurance (which will not see any intervention from the republican-controlled state legislature, see point 1). I’d move to Charleston.
I say all of this as someone who grew up in Orlando.
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u/HappyCelebration6989 4d ago
Roger that. I heard JAX is more moderate tho and that both parties where somewhat putting aside their difference on the local level to try and run the city properly. Do you have any intel on that?
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u/Fancy_Documents 4d ago
Honestly I’m not sure what the local Duvall county/Jax city government is like. But I don’t tend to think local governments can really do much in the way of meaningfully helping people the way the state gov can.
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u/HappyCelebration6989 4d ago
Fair enough, I'm not American tho so I'll this up to you people and will humbly refrain on commenting about your politics
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u/DiligentPeak1929 4d ago edited 4d ago
Jacksonville is so spread out, it's really a matter of which area of Jax you move to will determine what side of Jax you get.
Charleston is full. There are 10x more people than should reasonable fit. And growing. Go to Charleston if you like water, mosquitos, and traffic. There's no metro and getting anywhere requires 1.5 hours of traffic, even just moving island to Island, or to the peninsula. And that's if there's not a wreck on the Don Holt Bridge.
As a southerner, there isn't a southern city I want to move to.
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u/HappyCelebration6989 4d ago
Ok thank you for the input, where do you live now / where would you want to live as a Southerner?
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u/DiligentPeak1929 4d ago
Not going to dox myself, but I'm familiar with both cities you're asking about.
If I have to choose a city - San Antonio. But out of a need for a good transit system (I'm not allowed to drive for medical reasons) - I'd probably be stuck in a northeastern city like Boston, or Philly.
Ideally, I'd stay far away from cities and find a place in the mountains of Tennessee or Kentucky.
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u/HappyCelebration6989 4d ago
Sorry to hear about that, heard good things about San Antonio as well but those few years in DC felt very lonely and I wouldn't see myself moving in a place where I don't have friends, which is why JAX and CHS are on the table
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u/DiligentPeak1929 4d ago
Totally fair.
I would consider what your careers are. What your interest are (besides the beach lol).
SC is great for history. It's only 10 hours from DC, so if you want to return to visit DC friends you can. Only 3ish hours from CHS to the mountains.
FL is great for beaches and wildlife. Wildlife can also be a negative if you don't like frozen iguanas. 😅
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u/maxman1313 4d ago
Vacation Florida is great.
Living in Florida gets old.
Charleston by a mile.
History, architecture, culture, food and beaches.