Northeast

Unique features, rankings and statistics

As the epicenter of the Northeast region's thriving domestic and international economy, Jacksonville holds the distinction of being the largest city in area — 762 square miles — of any municipality in the continental U.S.

Within its massive footprint, Jacksonville boasts the largest urban park system in the nation, with 80,000 acres of parks, nature preserves and arboretums that include the 46,000-acre Timucuan Ecological and Historical Preserve.

Surrounding Duval County and Jacksonville are the counties of Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, Clay and Baker.

Nassau County, known for its blend of coastal charm and relaxed lifestyle, is home to historic Fernandina Beach, founded in 1825 and one of Florida's five oldest cities.

A more modern day distinction is the performance of its school district, which ranks first among all 67 in Florida and is the first in the state to have every school earn an "A" rating by the State of Florida.

Nassau also is among the fastest growing counties in the nation. The U.S. Census Bureau recently ranked Nassau County as the 46th fastest-growing county out of more than 3,000 nationwide, with a nearly 15% population increase between 2020 and 2025.

A standout feature of Flagler County is its 19 miles of cinnamon, or copper-tinted beach sand created by the constant erosion of ancient coquina bedrock.

And there's the famous A1A coastal highway, now known as the Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway.

As one of Florida's first two counties, St. Johns is home to St. Augustine, founded in 1565 and the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in the continental U.S.

In the latter part of the 20th century, St. Johns became famous as the headquarters of the Professional Golfers Association and for its TPC Sawgrass course that is home to the annual Players Championship tournament.

Cultural and historic attractions in St. Johns include the famous Castillo de San Marcos, built by the Spanish in the late 17th Century, the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum, and Anastasia State Park.

One of Putnam County's notable environmental features are the deep ravines of Ravine Gardens State Park.

And in Baker County, the Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park is the site of the largest battle to take place in Florida during the Civil War.

Economic growth

Jacksonville's job market and economic growth from 2022 to 2024 were among the most robust in the nation.

That hot streak cooled somewhat in 2025 as the city's unemployment rate inched up from 3.7% in 2024 to 4.2% in 2025, driven in part by elevated interest rates and a nationwide slowdown in U.S. job growth.

Despite these headwinds, the list of major economic development projects underway and in the pipeline for downtown Jacksonville is enormous.

The standout, big-ticket project getting underway in 2025 is the $1.4 billion renovation of EverBank Stadium, which will serve as the new home of the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars.

In September, after approval by the city and the NFL, a phase-one, $532 million initial construction permit was issued. The cost of the project is being split between the city and the Jaguars, owned by the Kahn family.

The stadium will be the downtown centerpiece complementing the Kahn family's Iguana Investments developments, including the Four Seasons Hotel.

The project includes a 10-story hotel with 170 rooms and 26 private residences, alongside a Class A office tower and a city-owned marina.

The Jacksonville-based Haskell Company is the primary builder for the Riverfront Plaza project, which is in the first phase of the larger Jacksonville Riverfront initiative.

Elsewhere in the Northeast region, Nassau County is posting strong economic growth, driven by industries such as advanced manufacturing, logistics and transportation, tourism, and financial and professional services.

Key businesses include Westrock, Baptist Health, the Omni and Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island, along with Rayonier, a global forest management company with headquarters located in the Wildlight community in Nassau County.

St. Johns County's economy is enjoying a strong growth period, driven in large part by its population growth, consistently ranking as one of the fastest-growing counties in Florida and the U.S..

This rapid growth is attributed to factors such as its strategic location, a competitive business climate, desirable quality of life and strong public school systems, all of which presents challenges for the county to keep up with infrastructure and affordable housing needs.

Top industries

Florida's vigorous and diverse economy is well represented in the Northeast region's industries and industry clusters.

Jacksonville's major industries include finance and insurance, health care, logistics and distribution, aviation and aerospace, and information technology.

The catalyst for these sector clusters is the region's strong combination of workforce training programs, outstanding universities and colleges and excellent public and private schools.

JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Fidelity Investments and Citi are among the biggest names in the region offering financial services.

Jacksonville has also become a leader in health care facilities, and is home to nationally recognized institutions such as the Mayo Clinic and Florida Blue.

The region's aviation and aerospace industries support a large military presence at the Naval Air Station Jacksonville, and Jacksonville International Airport, one of the largest in Florida.

St. Johns County is home to several major advance manufacturing firms, particularly in the aerospace sector. These include defense contractor Northrop Grumman — the county's largest private employer — and Carlisle Interconnect Technologies.

Home of the PGA Tour global headquarters, the county also has a significant concentration of sports-related production and professional services.

Access to Capital

Jacksonville's access to investment and venture capital is developing and growing along with its strong economy and robust international trade.

While the city may not yet rival Miami, Tampa or Orlando, Jacksonville's financial landscape is improving, particularly for early-stage companies in targeted industries.

Among the more prominent investment groups in the region are JaxAngels, which focuses on early-stage, high-growth startups, and PS27 Ventures, which focuses on investment opportunities in B2B software and financial technology sectors.

ELEV8 Ventures is an accelerator that provides resources and mentorship to startups, helping them grow from ideation to launch.

Culture, Personality and Seasonality

Jacksonville's personality is a vibrant and effervescent cocktail of laid-back beach vibe, welcoming nature, deep and abiding appreciation of its long history and love of the arts and sporting events.

The city’s diverse culture reflects influences from the Native American Timucua peoples as well as French, Spanish, African American and Hispanic American communities.

The region’s rich sense of history is evident throughout Northeast Florida, most notably in St. Augustine, the nation’s oldest continuously inhabited city, founded by the Spanish in 1565.

Maritime industries and military installations have played — and continue to play — an important role in shaping the regions identity, culture and economy.

Outside of the vibrant Jacksonville urban center, Old Florida communities and their moss-draped landscapes are abundant in communities such as Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, Flagler Beach and Atlantic Beach.