01 · the cities
Ocala
Ocala is the horse capital of the world (it actually has more thoroughbred horses than Lexington, Kentucky), with rolling hills of horse farms unlike anywhere else in Florida. Silver Springs (one of the largest artesian springs in the world) is right next door, with glass-bottom boats and clear blue water. Surprisingly hilly. Slower than the coastal cities, with a quietly strong equestrian economy.
full dispatch→Jacksonville
Jacksonville is the largest city in the continental U.S. by land area, which means everything is 20 minutes from everything else and most of those 20 minutes involve a bridge. The St. Johns River cuts the city in half, the beaches are a quick drive east, and the food scene leans seafood and surprisingly excellent BBQ. It's a Florida city without the theme-park vibe.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,616/mo
$1,679/mo
$63/mo more than Ocala (4%)
Median home price
Median home price
$277k
$358k
$81k more than Ocala
State income tax
State income tax
0%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,717/mo
$6,654/mo
Ocala has $63/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
208 days
198 days
10 fewer than Ocala
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
15 days
27 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Jacksonville has 12 more days above 95°F each year than Ocala.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
62 / 100
64 / 100
2.0 pts ahead of Ocala
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
5 routes
26 routes
21 more direct routes than Ocala
Metro size
Metro size
410k metro
1.7M metro
Ocala has 52.0x fewer events per month than Jacksonville.
the verdict
5
Ocala
categories won
2
Jacksonville
categories won
Ocala wins on money and weather. Jacksonville has the edge on lifestyle.
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