🇺🇸 North America

FIRE Number for Jacksonville, United States

Name: Jacksonville, United States
Address: Jacksonville, United States

United States

Beach Living, No State Income Tax, and Florida's Most Affordable Major City

FIRE Score Based on safety, healthcare, infrastructure & expat friendliness

Jacksonville is Florida's largest city by area, offering miles of Atlantic beaches, a revitalizing downtown, and some of the most affordable housing in the Sunshine State. With no state income tax, a growing food scene in the Five Points and Riverside neighborhoods, and easy access to both St. Augustine and Amelia Island, Jacksonville is an underrated FIRE destination that combines beach-town living with big-city infrastructure.

Lean FIRE, FIRE, and Fat FIRE for Jacksonville

Needed to retire here is the portfolio that, in a historical backtest, would have lasted your retirement at your chosen confidence and length. Status is the verdict for your portfolio. The 4% rule benchmark is shown underneath each figure for reference only.

Use my own healthcare cost

Lifestyle	Needed to retire here	Monthly Cost
Lean FIRE	$1.06M	$3,550/mo
FIRE	$1.8M	$6,000/mo
Fat FIRE	$4.5M	$15,000/mo

Cost data: Q1 2026 · Medium confidence

Cost of Living Breakdown for Jacksonville

All cost and FIRE figures assume a single adult.

Lean FIRE Lifestyle

$1.06M

You can rent a one-bedroom in Riverside or Murray Hill and cook most meals at home, with casual seafood and taco spots a couple of times a week. Florida's zero income tax and Jacksonville's lower housing costs compared to Tampa or Miami help stretch the budget. A car is essential given the city's sprawl. Summer A/C bills are a real expense, but the beaches are free and close.

FIRE Lifestyle

$1.8M

You can rent a waterfront home in Ortega or a beachfront condo near Ponte Vedra and dine regularly at Jacksonville's best restaurants. A small boat for the St. Johns River, golf access near TPC Sawgrass, and good private healthcare through Mayo Clinic Jacksonville all fit the budget. Jacksonville's affordability means this tier covers more ground than the same amount in South Florida.

Fat FIRE Lifestyle

$4.5M

Premium oceanfront housing in Ponte Vedra or a historic riverfront property in Ortega, regular fine dining, a cook who comes several times a week, and a housekeeper. First class travel, full concierge healthcare at Mayo Clinic, and a private box at EverBank Stadium for Jaguars games. A well-maintained boat and regular fishing trips are natural additions. Florida's zero income tax at this spending level represents significant annual savings.

Retirement Confidence

The 4% rule is a great starting point. Here we go a step further and test your plan against real market history.

Enter your portfolio on the homepage to backtest a retirement in Jacksonville against market history.

How this is calculated

This is a real historical backtest. We run your plan through every retirement-length window in US market history (1871–2022): a 75% stock / 25% bond portfolio, rebalanced annually, with withdrawals raised each year for that period's actual inflation. The success rate is the share of those historical start years in which the money lasted the full length without running out.

Your confidence level sets the bar: at Balanced (90%), a survival rate of 90% or more reads "You can retire here", within 10 points below is "Close — worth a closer look", and lower is "Not quite yet". The same level sizes the "Needed to retire here" target. Retirement length also drives it — early retirees planning 40–50+ years see lower survival than the 30-year baseline.

Healthcare, Visa & City Overview

climate Warm

healthcare Good

english Widely spoken

safety Exercise caution

visa Easy

Timezone

EST (UTC-5)

Currency

USD

Language

English

Avg. Temperature

68°F / 20°C

Internet

150+ Mbps average

Airport

Jacksonville International Airport (JAX)

Frequently Asked Questions About Retiring in Jacksonville

What is the FIRE Number for Jacksonville, United States?

The FIRE Number for Jacksonville ranges from $1.06M (Lean FIRE lifestyle) to $4.5M (Fat FIRE lifestyle). A FIRE retirement requires a portfolio of approximately $1.8M, based on estimated monthly costs of $6,000 and a 4% safe withdrawal rate.

How much does it cost to retire in Jacksonville?

Monthly living costs in Jacksonville range from $3,550 (Lean FIRE) to $6,000 (FIRE), covering housing, dining, groceries, healthcare, transportation, entertainment, and utilities.

What is healthcare like in Jacksonville for retirees?

Healthcare in Jacksonville costs approximately $650 to $675/month depending on coverage level. ACA marketplace Silver plan through Florida exchange.

What is the weather like in Jacksonville?

Subtropical with hot humid summers and mild winters The average temperature is 68°F / 20°C.

How safe is Jacksonville for retirees?

Moderate – varies by neighborhood