Jacksonville vs Orlando

**Price Trends & Valuation Gap**

Jacksonville and Orlando have both experienced price softening over the past 24 months, but from different starting points and with meaningfully different trajectories. Jacksonville peaked near $421,994 in May 2024 and, after a volatile correction that dipped to $375,000 in January 2026, has partially recovered to $389,900 as of March 2026 — a year-over-year decline of 2.3%. Orlando's price path has been more stable: peaking around $444,500 in June 2024 and settling to $419,000 by March 2026, a nearly flat -0.2% YoY change. The absolute price gap is roughly $29,100 in Orlando's favor, meaning Jacksonville offers a lower entry price — but buyers should weigh that against the fact that Jacksonville has shown more downside volatility. Orlando's relative price stickiness may reflect stronger and more diversified demand, while Jacksonville's wider swings suggest a market still searching for equilibrium.

**Inventory & Market Velocity**

Both markets have loosened considerably from their 2022–2023 lows, but Orlando carries meaningfully more inventory in both absolute and relative terms. Orlando currently shows 13,222 active listings at 3.0 months of supply, versus Jacksonville's 7,527 listings at 2.3 months — a difference that matters for negotiating leverage. Days on market also diverge: homes in Jacksonville are sitting 58 days on average compared to 67 days in Orlando. Technically, both markets remain below the 4–6 month threshold commonly used to define a balanced market, so sellers still hold a modest structural advantage in both cities. However, Orlando buyers have more selection and slightly more time to negotiate, while Jacksonville buyers face somewhat tighter conditions despite the lower price point. Cash buyer participation is similar: 26% in Jacksonville versus 28% in Orlando, both reflecting the investor and retiree activity typical of Florida metros.

**Economic Fundamentals & Employment Base**

Both metros share Florida's no-state-income-tax advantage and comparable unemployment rates (Jacksonville 3.6%, Orlando 3.5% as of November 2024). Jacksonville's employment base is anchored by the U.S. Navy, Mayo Clinic, and a notable financial-services cluster including Bank of America and Fidelity — sectors that tend to produce stable, year-round jobs with limited cyclicality. Orlando's economy is more tourism-dependent at its core, with Walt Disney World alone employing over 80,000 workers, creating significant exposure to travel-demand cycles, but it is increasingly diversified through the Lake Nona Medical City healthcare hub and Lockheed Martin's defense presence. Orlando's population growth rate is notably higher — 10.0% from 2019–2024, including an estimated 2.7% in 2024 alone, the fastest among the 30 largest U.S. MSAs — compared to Jacksonville's 9.6% over the same period. That demographic momentum supports Orlando's relatively stickier pricing. Jacksonville's cost of living index of 98 (vs. the U.S. average of 100) is higher than Orlando's 90.6, which may seem counterintuitive given Jacksonville's lower home prices, but reflects differences in other spending categories tracked by C2ER data.

**Livability & Practical Trade-offs**

On livability metrics, the two cities are closely matched in climate (both around 233–234 sunny days annually, summer highs of 91–92°F) and commute times (Jacksonville 27.4 minutes, Orlando 29 minutes). Orlando scores higher on walkability at ~46 versus Jacksonville's ~28, though both metros are broadly car-dependent given their suburban sprawl. Property tax rates are nearly identical — approximately 0.98% in Jacksonville versus ~1.02% in Orange County — though Orlando's homestead exemption (up to $50,000 off assessed value) can meaningfully reduce the effective burden for primary residents. Florida's statewide property insurance crisis affects both markets, though Jacksonville's comparatively lower hurricane exposure may offer modest insurance-cost relief versus Central Florida, which carries its own storm-track risk. Investors specifically considering short-term rentals in Orlando should note that tightening STR regulations and elevated insurance costs are compressing that strategy's economics relative to prior years.