5 million passengers pass through Jacksonville International Airport each year.
Photo: Neil Rashba
Baptist/Wolfson Children’s Emergency Center
A record 45,000 fans showed up to watch the U.S. Men’s Soccer team play Scotland at Jacksonville’s EverBank Field in 2013.
Photo: Gray Quetti Cal Sports Media/Zuma Press
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Business Florida 2015 - The Regions
Northeast Florida
Jacksonville, Orange Park, Palatka, Palm Coast, Ponte Vedra, St. Augustine
It should come as no surprise that Jacksonville boasts six Fortune 1000 firms — more than any other Florida city — and the national or divisional headquarters of more than 80 other companies. A world-class intermodal transportation system made up of multiple seaports, airports, railways and highways has made Northeast Florida a focal point for both international and domestic commerce. With its population of close to 1.6 million, workforce exceeding 767,000 and reputation for affordability and accessibility, this seven-county region offers a dynamic market for business relocation and expansion.
In Jacksonville, where city and county governments operate as one, businesses looking to locate or expand are assured of smooth transitions. Banking, aviation, healthcare and logistics are particularly strong industry sectors, and educational opportunities abound in such varied institutions as the University of North Florida, ranked by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance among the top 65 “Best Values in Public Colleges 2014”; Flagler College, listed among the top 10 regional colleges in the South by U.S. News & World Report; and Jacksonville University, known for its nursing school where graduates boast a nearly 100% certification pass rate.
WHO LIVES HERE
Young and smart
With a metro population of 842,583 and a median age of 36, Jacksonville is both Florida’s largest and youngest city. It’s also one of the “brainiest,” ranking No. 9 on newgeography.com’s list of the top 10 “America’s New Brainpower Cities” for its percentage of college graduates.
Opportunity seekers
In May 2014, Forbes named Jacksonville 4th best city in the U.S to “find a job right now.” Top industry sectors hiring: business and professional services, financial and healthcare.
Eager entrepreneurs
The website wallethub.com ranked Jacksonville No. 1 on its list of “2014’s Best Cities to Start a Business” based on 14 metrics used to determine entrepreneurial opportunity, including access to financing, cost of office space, employee availability and five-year survival rate.
Skilled military personnel
Northeast Florida has the nation’s 3rd largest military population, providing direct employment for some 50,000 active duty, reserve and civilian men and women. And of the personnel who exit the military here each year, more than 3,000 remain, providing a ready pool of workers with military-honed skills in electronics, technical maintenance, repair and management.
