Jacksonville is by the largest city in Florida and has the largest downtown area. While there is a lot to see and do downtown, you won't find many convenient living areas right in the vicinity of downtown.
Most young movers to Jacksonville are looking for an easy, clean living experience. Many are UNF students that want a student-living community while others are more seasoned and just want the convenience of signing a lease over having a landlord. Though you're options are limited in terms of apartment complexes, there are a few city-living type places to rent.
The Strand is your best bet for luxury, high-rise downtown living. The 28-story apartment complex offers gorgeous views of the St. John's River and Downtown Jacksonville. Since it's right in the downtown area, you also get immediate access to all the events going on throughout the year.
Some of the events that go on in that area throughout the year include the Gate River Run and my personal favorite event in the history of drinking events, the World's Largest Cocktail Party. Located at The Jacksonville Landing right across the river from this apartment community, you can probably walk to where you need to go on an event day like this.
In case The Strand is out of your price range or area you need to live in, you can find similarly themed downtown-style apartments by going to the apartment search feature and clicking the tab “Community Features”. Here you can set filters such as having an elevator, a city view and even controlled access. These are important features to have in downtown-style apartment and there are a few communities to choose from.
Downtown living is not for everyone. Jacksonville is a very affordable city and the downtown area is more expensive but still affordable in comparison to other metropolitan areas. I pay more in rent living in a tiny apartment in LA than a gorgeous loft-style downtown apartment that Jacksonville can offer!
You may find that Jacksonville is a larger city than you imagined. Incredibly, Jacksonville is actually the largest city area in the United States! This means that the needs of a UNF student are different than a downtown banker. Make sure to keep that in mind when searching for your Jacksonville apartment. Try using the neighborhood filters to find your next apartment in the area you want to live in.