Jacksonville vs San Antonio
Sun Belt real estate market comparison · data as of 2026-05
While Jacksonville posts stronger home-price momentum (+3.2% YoY vs. San Antonio's +1.4%) and a median household income of $82,053, San Antonio counters with 294 sunny days, a steadier 4.1% unemployment rate, and rents running $232/month cheaper — at the cost of property taxes 2–3x higher than Duval County's 0.87%.
Compare two markets
- Market A
Jacksonville, FL
North Florida's port-and-logistics metro with Sun Belt prices and insurance pressure
$1,658/mo+3.2% HPI YoY2BR Fair Market Rent · HUD vintage 2026 FHFA HPI 467.2 (Jacksonville, )
Full Jacksonville market profile - Market B
San Antonio, TX
The Sun Belt's affordability story — still under the Texas Triangle price curve
$1,426/mo+1.4% HPI YoY2BR Fair Market Rent · HUD vintage 2026 FHFA HPI 378.1 (San Antonio-New Braunfels, )
Full San Antonio market profile
The Verdict: Jacksonville vs San Antonio
Choose Jacksonville
Choose Jacksonville if you earn near or above the $82,053 metro median and want to maximize that income in a low-property-tax environment (0.87% vs. San Antonio's 2.1%–2.5%). The +3.2% YoY HPI gain and a declining permit pipeline suggest tightening supply that could reward near-term buyers — provided you budget for Florida's elevated homeowner's insurance.
Choose San Antonio
Choose San Antonio if you're relocating on a tighter budget or testing a new city before committing. At $1,426/month for a 2BR versus Jacksonville's $1,658, and a cost-of-living index of 91.2, the runway to save is real. San Antonio's unemployment has held at 4.1% for over a year — far less volatile than Jacksonville's January 2026 spike to 5.2% — making it the safer landing pad for remote workers without a local job lined up.
The Deciding Factor
Property taxes are the sleeper cost that flips the math: San Antonio's 2.1%–2.5% effective rate can add $8,000–$12,000 annually on a mid-range home compared to Jacksonville's 0.87% — erasing Texas's income-tax advantage for most buyers.
Market Stats Comparison
| Metric | Jacksonville | Buyer-favourable indicator | San Antonio |
|---|---|---|---|
| HPI YoY change | +3.2% | +1.4% | |
| HPI QoQ change | +1.5% | -1.3% | |
| HPI index value | 467.2 | 378.1 | |
| Monthly building permits | 869 | 1,013 | |
| Permits YoY change | -27.2% | +5.2% | |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.1% | |
| Population growth YoY | +1.49% | +1.38% | |
| 2BR Fair Market Rent | $1,658 | $1,426 |
HPI YoY change
HPI QoQ change
HPI index value
Monthly building permits
Permits YoY change
Unemployment rate
Population growth YoY
2BR Fair Market Rent
City Fundamentals
Demographics, taxes & livability · researched at generation time
| Category | Jacksonville | San Antonio |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1.76M (2024 ACS 1-year est., Census Reporter) · +10.0% (2019–2024, from ~1.60M to ~1.76M) | 2.76M (2024, US Census Bureau — San Antonio–New Braunfels MSA) · +13.9% (2019–2024, MSA); +28.4% (2010–2024) |
| Median Household Income | $82,053 (ACS 2024 1-year, MSA) | $66,176 (2024, ACS 1-Year — city proper; MSA est. ~$68,000–$70,000) |
| Cost of Living | 94 (US avg = 100; ~6% below national average) | 91.2 (US avg = 100; C2ER / BestPlaces composite) |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8% (April 2026, BLS / USAFacts, not seasonally adjusted) | 3.6% (2024 annual avg, Dallas Fed / BLS — MSA) |
| State Income Tax | None (Florida levies no individual state income tax) | None (Texas has no state income tax) |
| Property Tax Rate | ~0.87% of assessed value (Duval County avg; metro range 0.71%–1.10% across counties) | 2.1%–2.5% of assessed value (varies by county/district within MSA) |
| Major Employers |
|
|
| Avg Commute | 27 min (one-way average, ACS 2024 MSA) | 24.5 min (one-way average, 2024 ACS — DataUSA) |
| Sunny Days / Year | ~233 days per year (est.) | 294 days per year |
| Avg Summer High | ~91°F (July average high) | 95–96°F (July–August average daily high) |
| Walkability | 35 (car-dependent; est. for broader MSA) | 75 (somewhat walkable — city core; suburban areas car-dependent) |
👥 Population
Jacksonville
1.76M (2024 ACS 1-year est., Census Reporter) · +10.0% (2019–2024, from ~1.60M to ~1.76M)San Antonio
2.76M (2024, US Census Bureau — San Antonio–New Braunfels MSA) · +13.9% (2019–2024, MSA); +28.4% (2010–2024)💰 Median Household Income
Jacksonville
$82,053 (ACS 2024 1-year, MSA)San Antonio
$66,176 (2024, ACS 1-Year — city proper; MSA est. ~$68,000–$70,000)🛒 Cost of Living
Jacksonville
94 (US avg = 100; ~6% below national average)San Antonio
91.2 (US avg = 100; C2ER / BestPlaces composite)📊 Unemployment Rate
Jacksonville
4.8% (April 2026, BLS / USAFacts, not seasonally adjusted)San Antonio
3.6% (2024 annual avg, Dallas Fed / BLS — MSA)🏛️ State Income Tax
Jacksonville
None (Florida levies no individual state income tax)San Antonio
None (Texas has no state income tax)🏠 Property Tax Rate
Jacksonville
~0.87% of assessed value (Duval County avg; metro range 0.71%–1.10% across counties)San Antonio
2.1%–2.5% of assessed value (varies by county/district within MSA)🏢 Major Employers
Jacksonville
- Naval Air Station Jacksonville / U.S. Navy (military & defense)
- Mayo Clinic Florida (healthcare)
- Bank of America / Fidelity National Financial (finance & insurance)
- Amazon / Wayfair / logistics sector (e-commerce & distribution)
San Antonio
- USAA (financial services)
- U.S. Military (Joint Base San Antonio — Lackland, Fort Sam Houston, Randolph)
- Valero Energy Corp (Fortune 500 energy)
- Toyota Manufacturing Texas / Healthcare sector (Methodist, University Health)
🚗 Avg Commute
Jacksonville
27 min (one-way average, ACS 2024 MSA)San Antonio
24.5 min (one-way average, 2024 ACS — DataUSA)☀️ Sunny Days / Year
Jacksonville
~233 days per year (est.)San Antonio
294 days per year🌡️ Avg Summer High
Jacksonville
~91°F (July average high)San Antonio
95–96°F (July–August average daily high)🚶 Walkability
Jacksonville
35 (car-dependent; est. for broader MSA)San Antonio
75 (somewhat walkable — city core; suburban areas car-dependent)Data researched via AI at time of comparison generation. Figures are estimates — verify with official sources before making financial decisions.
AI Analysis: Jacksonville vs San Antonio
Generated July 2026 · SunBeltPulse Research
Key Takeaways
- Jacksonville is appreciating faster at +3.2% YoY versus San Antonio's +1.4%, but San Antonio also posted a -1.3% quarterly decline in 2026-Q1, signaling more price choppiness in Texas.
- Jacksonville's permit activity has fallen 27.2% year-over-year to 869 in May 2026, while San Antonio's permits are up 5.2% to 1,013, meaning San Antonio is adding more new supply heading into the back half of 2026.
- San Antonio's unemployment has been nearly flat at 4.1% for over a year, while Jacksonville's has been more volatile — spiking to 5.2% in January 2026 before pulling back to 4.7% in May.
- A renter or buyer in San Antonio pays $232/month less for a comparable two-bedroom rental ($1,426 vs. $1,658 FMR) and faces a lower overall cost of living, but must budget for property taxes roughly 2–3x higher than Duval County rates.
- Jacksonville households earn a median of ~$82,053 versus San Antonio's ~$66,000–$68,000, giving Jacksonville buyers modestly stronger purchasing power relative to local prices despite Florida's insurance cost pressures.
**Home-Price Appreciation: Jacksonville Leads, San Antonio Stalls**
Jacksonville's FHFA HPI posted a 3.2% year-over-year gain and a 1.5% quarter-over-quarter increase as of 2026-Q1, reflecting a market that has resumed modest upward momentum after a flat 2023. Looking back over the full series, Jacksonville experienced a dramatic pandemic-era run-up — appreciating roughly 55% from 2020-Q1 to its 2022-Q3 peak — before consolidating through 2023 and gradually recovering. San Antonio tells a more muted story: its YoY appreciation stands at just 1.4%, and the market actually contracted 1.3% quarter-over-quarter in 2026-Q1, dipping from 383.13 in 2025-Q4. San Antonio also surged during 2021–2022 (roughly 40% from trough to peak), but has been essentially flat since mid-2022, oscillating in a narrow band for nearly four years. For buyers, Jacksonville offers modestly stronger near-term price momentum; for those prioritizing stability over appreciation, San Antonio's muted price swings carry less downside risk.
**Construction Activity: San Antonio Recovering, Jacksonville Pulling Back**
Permit activity tells a striking diverging story. Jacksonville issued 869 permits in May 2026, a sharp 27.2% decline year-over-year, continuing a trend visible in the monthly series where counts dropped from consistent 1,000–1,500 range readings in mid-2024 to a trough of 613 in November 2025 and 647 in January 2026. This pullback in supply-side activity could support prices over the medium term but may also signal builder caution about demand. San Antonio, by contrast, logged 1,013 permits in May 2026, a 5.2% year-over-year increase — a recovery from its own trough period of 482–663 permits between October and December 2025. San Antonio's permit rebound suggests builders are regaining confidence, which will add inventory and may keep a ceiling on price appreciation. Buyers in Jacksonville should monitor whether declining construction translates into tighter supply; investors in San Antonio should note that rising supply historically compresses rent growth and resale appreciation.
**Labor Markets and Rental Costs: San Antonio More Stable, Jacksonville Rising**
The unemployment trajectories of these two metros have diverged meaningfully. San Antonio has maintained a remarkably steady labor market, holding at 3.8%–3.9% from mid-2024 through early 2025 before ticking up gradually to 4.1% by mid-2025 — a level it has held consistently through May 2026. Jacksonville's unemployment picture is considerably more volatile: after sitting at 3.2%–3.9% through most of 2024, it climbed to 4.4% by mid-2025, spiked to 5.2% in January 2026, and has since retreated to 4.7% as of May 2026. That spike and partial recovery warrant monitoring; Jacksonville's economy has more cyclical noise, though its military, healthcare, and logistics anchors provide a structural floor. On rental costs, Jacksonville's HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent is $1,658/month versus San Antonio's $1,426/month — a $232/month (16%) premium. Combined with San Antonio's lower cost-of-living index (91.2 versus Jacksonville's 94), renters and entry-level buyers face measurably lower carrying costs in San Antonio.
**Economic Fundamentals and Trade-Offs**
Both metros share no state income tax and steady population growth (Jacksonville +1.49% YoY, San Antonio +1.38% YoY), but they diverge on property taxes — a critical ownership cost. San Antonio's effective property tax rate of 2.1%–2.5% is substantially higher than Jacksonville/Duval County's ~0.87%, which can meaningfully offset Texas's absence of a state income tax, particularly at higher price points. Jacksonville's population base of 1.76M has grown about 10% since 2019; San Antonio's 2.76M MSA has expanded 13.9% over the same period, indicating slightly stronger long-run demand absorption. San Antonio's median household income ($66,176 city; ~$68,000–$70,000 MSA) trails Jacksonville's $82,053, which affects organic buying power and rent affordability. Jacksonville carries Florida's property insurance headwinds as an added carrying cost, while San Antonio buyers must budget for significantly higher annual tax bills. Each market presents a distinct risk profile: Jacksonville offers higher income levels, stronger near-term HPI momentum, and lower property taxes offset by insurance costs and a shakier recent unemployment trend; San Antonio offers greater price stability, lower rents, a more consistent labor market, and deeper affordability, but with high property taxes and softer appreciation.