Orlando and Jacksonville by the numbers
One inland city, one on the Atlantic coast, compared on the same twelve measures. Each figure comes from the same publisher for both cities.
| Orlando | Jacksonville | |
|---|---|---|
| Zillow typical home value (Aug 2026) | $371,120 | $285,103 |
| 1-year change in value | -1.4% | -0.8% |
| Zillow typical rent (Aug 2026) | $1,896/mo | $1,601/mo |
| Property tax | 18.0878 mills total (2025) | 17.7412 mills total (2025) |
| Sales tax (2026) | 6.5% | 7.5% |
| Insurance context: Citizens HO-3 average, Orange/Duval County | $2,789 (Orange) | $2,426 (Duval) |
| Population (Census, July 2025) | 333,888 | 1,017,689 |
| Median household income (ACS 2020-24) | $72,336 | $69,872 |
| Average commute (ACS 2020-24) | 26.2 min | 24.1 min |
| Climate: Jan / Jul average high | 71.8°F / 92.0°F | 65.5°F / 91.9°F |
| Days a year at 90°F or hotter | 109.9 | 80.1 |
| Jobs | Orlando metro: 1,508,300 nonfarm jobs (Aug 2026), +0.8% on the year; unemployment 4.7% (Jul 2026) | Jacksonville metro: 803,800 nonfarm jobs (Aug 2026), +0.1% on the year; unemployment 4.9% (Jul 2026) |
Keep scale in mind when reading the table. Jacksonville's city limits take in almost all of Duval County, while Orlando's cover a smaller core inside Orange County, so city-level medians describe quite different areas. Suburbs such as Lake Mary or Fleming Island sit outside both city lines and have their own prices and tax rates.
Orlando vs Jacksonville on each factor
Home values
Jacksonville is the lower-cost market. Zillow's typical home value in August 2026 was $285,103 in Jacksonville and $371,120 in Orlando, a difference of $86,017. The Census median of owner estimates for 2020 to 2024 points the same way ($293,700 against $394,100). Prices vary widely inside each city; the Orlando neighborhoods guide and Jacksonville neighborhoods guide show the spread.
Where prices are heading
Values slipped in both cities over the year: 1.4% in Orlando and 0.8% in Jacksonville. Over five years Orlando gained 23.4% and Jacksonville 16.7%. Neither figure is a forecast. Use the Orlando housing market page for current days on market and price cuts.
Rents
Zillow's typical rent was $1,896 a month in Orlando and $1,601 in Jacksonville. Jacksonville rents rose faster over the year (+2.0% against +0.6%), but the gap is still about $295 a month.
Property taxes
The 2025 rates are close: 18.0878 mills for most of Orlando and 17.7412 for most of Jacksonville. Because Jacksonville's typical home is cheaper, the estimated first-year homestead bill is about $4,321 there against $5,961 in Orlando ($5,058 and $6,713 without homestead). Orange County's mill codes mean some Orlando parcels pay extra district levies, so check the code. The Orange County and Duval County tax guides show the worked math.
Insurance
Citizens' average multi-peril homeowners premium was $2,789 in Orange County and $2,426 in Duval County on policies in force at April 30, 2025. Its 2026 filing recommended raising Orange to $2,922 and trimming Duval to $2,406. Jacksonville's coast and the St. Johns River create flood and surge zones that inland Orlando mostly lacks, so for a Jacksonville home near water the flood policy may matter more than the homeowners premium.
Sales tax
Orange County's 0.5% surtax gives Orlando a 6.5% combined rate. Duval's 1.5% surtax gives Jacksonville 7.5%, a full point higher.
Job market
Orlando's metro job base is nearly twice as large: about 1,508,300 nonfarm jobs in August 2026 against 803,800 in metro Jacksonville. Orlando added about 11,900 jobs over the year (+0.8%), while Jacksonville was flat at about 500. July unemployment was 4.7% and 4.9%. Jacksonville's job mix includes three major military installations: Naval Station Mayport, Naval Air Station Jacksonville and Blount Island Command.
Commute and transit
Average one-way commutes are 24.1 minutes in Jacksonville and 26.2 in Orlando, per the Census Bureau. Orlando's SunRail commuter line has 17 stations across four counties. Jacksonville's transit authority runs buses, a free downtown Skyway and a St. Johns River ferry. For flights, Orlando International was Florida's busiest airport in 2025 with about 57.7 million passengers; Jacksonville International is about 13 miles north of downtown Jacksonville.
Climate
Jacksonville has real winters by Florida standards. NOAA normals put its January average low at 42.9°F against 49.5°F in Orlando, and its January high at 65.5°F against 71.8°F. Summers are nearly identical (July highs of 91.9°F and 92.0°F), but Orlando averages about 110 days at 90°F or more against 80 in Jacksonville.
Coast, rivers and lakes
Jacksonville has an Atlantic coastline, with the Jacksonville Beaches communities, and the St. Johns River running through the city. Orlando is Florida's most populous inland city, dotted with lakes but with no coastline of its own. If ocean access is on your list, only one of these cities has it inside the county.
Population and footprint
Jacksonville had an estimated 1,017,689 residents in July 2025, about three times Orlando's 333,888. The difference is mostly boundaries: Jacksonville consolidated with Duval County in 1968 and covers about 900 square miles. By metro area the order flips, and greater Orlando is larger than greater Jacksonville.
Growth and incomes in each city
Population growth since 2020
Orlando grew faster in percentage terms. The Census Bureau counts 308,101 residents at the April 2020 base and 333,888 in July 2025, a gain of about 8.4%. Jacksonville went from 949,607 to 1,017,689, about 7.2%, but that still added roughly 68,082 people, more than twice Orlando's increase of 25,787. In the latest year, Jacksonville grew 0.8% and Orlando 0.4%.
Household income
The American Community Survey puts median household income for 2020 to 2024 at $72,336 in Orlando and $69,872 in Jacksonville, against $74,568 for Florida as a whole. Set against the typical home value, that is about 5.1 times income in Orlando and 4.1 times in Jacksonville. A lower ratio means the typical home is easier to afford on the typical local income, although your own income and down payment are what count for a lender.
What the typical home costs per month
A like-for-like estimate: 10% down at Freddie Mac's 7.03% average for September 24, 2026, estimated 2025 homestead tax and each county's Citizens recommended homeowners average.
| Monthly | Orlando | Jacksonville |
|---|---|---|
| Principal and interest | $2,229 | $1,712 |
| Property tax (homestead) | $497 | $360 |
| Homeowners insurance | $244 | $200 |
| Total | $2,970 | $2,272 |
The typical Jacksonville home costs about $698 less a month on these assumptions, before any flood insurance or HOA fees. The Orlando cost of living guide and Jacksonville cost of living guide cover utilities, transport and the salary needed in each.
Are Orlando and Jacksonville the same?
No. They are separate cities in different counties and different metro areas. Orlando is the seat of Orange County in Central Florida; Jacksonville is consolidated with Duval County in Northeast Florida on the Atlantic. They have different property appraisers, tax collectors, school districts and sales tax rates, so the rules for buying a home differ in the details. Homestead exemptions, Save Our Homes and the documentary stamp tax on deeds are set by state law and work the same way in both, which our Florida property tax guide explains.
Orlando or Jacksonville: which fits your priorities
Neither city is the better choice for everyone. Mark the lines that matter to you:
- Lower typical price and monthly cost: Jacksonville.
- Lower rent: Jacksonville, by about $295 a month.
- Lower sales tax: Orlando, at 6.5% against 7.5%.
- Lower Citizens insurance average: Jacksonville.
- Bigger job market and more growth last year: Orlando metro.
- Largest airport: Orlando.
- Ocean coastline: Jacksonville.
- Milder winters: Orlando; fewer 90°F days: Jacksonville.
Then visit both, drive your likely commute at rush hour, pull the flood zone for any address you like and price the same kind of home in each. We can connect you with a local agent in either city.
Common questions
Is Orlando a bigger city than Jacksonville?+
No. Jacksonville had about 1,017,689 residents in July 2025 against 333,888 in Orlando, according to the Census Bureau, and it is the largest city by area in the contiguous US. The Orlando metro area, however, is larger than the Jacksonville metro, so the answer depends on whether you mean the city or the region.
What is the nicest city in Florida to live in?+
No city is nicest for everyone, and published rankings disagree because they weigh different things. Decide what matters to you, such as price, coast, commute, climate or jobs, then compare the same numbers across a shortlist. Our comparison guides use Zillow, county tax, Citizens insurance, Census and NOAA data so the figures line up city to city.
Are Orlando and Jacksonville the same?+
No. Orlando is in Orange County in Central Florida and Jacksonville is consolidated with Duval County on the Atlantic coast in Northeast Florida. They are in different metro areas with different tax rates, school districts and property appraisers.
What is the #1 city in Florida?+
By population it is Jacksonville, with an estimated 1,017,689 residents in July 2025. By metro area, Miami's region is the largest in the state. "Best city" lists use their own criteria and rarely agree, so check what each ranking measures before relying on it.
Is Jacksonville cheaper than Orlando?+
For housing, yes. Zillow's typical value in August 2026 was $285,103 in Jacksonville against $371,120 in Orlando, and typical rent was $1,601 against $1,896. Our estimate of the monthly cost to own the typical home is about $698 lower in Jacksonville. Sales tax is higher there, at 7.5%.
Is Orlando warmer than Jacksonville in winter?+
Yes. NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals give Orlando International a January average high of 71.8°F and low of 49.5°F, against 65.5°F and 42.9°F at Jacksonville International. Summer highs are about the same in both cities.
Is it better to live in Orlando or Jacksonville?+
It depends on your trade-offs. Jacksonville has lower typical prices and rent, a lower Citizens insurance average and an Atlantic coastline. Orlando has the larger job market, the state's busiest airport, SunRail and a lower 6.5% sales tax. Weather differs mainly in winter, when Jacksonville runs several degrees cooler. Compare real homes and commutes in both before you decide.
Sources
- Zillow Research: ZHVI and ZORI data, August 2026
- US Census Bureau: City and town population estimates, Vintage 2025
- Census Reporter: ACS 2020-2024 median household income, gross rent and home value (B19013, B25064, B25077)
- Census Reporter: ACS 2020-2024 aggregate travel time and workers (B08013, B08303), used for average commute
- NOAA NCEI: 1991-2020 annual climate normals
- NOAA NCEI: 1991-2020 monthly climate normals
- BLS: Orlando metro nonfarm employment (CES)
- BLS: Orlando metro unemployment rate (LAUS)
- BLS: Jacksonville metro nonfarm employment (CES)
- BLS: Jacksonville metro unemployment rate (LAUS)
- Citizens Property Insurance: 2026 recommended rate filing, average HO-3 premium by county (December 10, 2025)
- Florida Department of Revenue: Discretionary sales surtax rates, calendar year 2026 (DR-15DSS)
- Florida Department of Revenue: Sales and use tax
- Orange County Property Appraiser: 2025 final millage rates
- Duval County Property Appraiser: 2025 final millage chart
- Florida Department of Revenue: 2025 municipal report (city millage by municipality)
- Florida Department of Revenue: Additional homestead exemption CPI adjustment
- Freddie Mac: Primary Mortgage Market Survey (30-year fixed 7.03%, September 24, 2026)
- SunRail: stations by county
- Jacksonville Transportation Authority: Skyway, ferry and fares
- Wikipedia: Orlando International Airport (2025 passengers)
- Wikipedia: Jacksonville International Airport
- Wikipedia: Jacksonville, Florida (consolidation, area, military, beaches)
- Census Reporter: ACS 2020-2024 median household income, Florida (B19013)
- Wikipedia: Orlando, Florida (metro population)