In-depth analysis

Should you buy an STR in Jacksonville in 2026?

Yes, with eyes open. Jacksonville is one of the larger and less-saturated Florida STR markets — 911K population, sprawling geography, and demand that’s split between leisure (beaches), business (downtown / Southside), and military (NAS Jax, Mayport). ADR sits at $174 with 55% occupancy and a 71/100 market score. The risk is not the city rules — Jacksonville is broadly permissive under Florida’s STR-preemption law. The risk is property insurance, flood zone exposure on the beach corridor, and the relative softness of leisure demand outside winter.

Regulation: where the city stands

Florida Chapter 509 preempts most local STR outright bans. In Jacksonville / Duval County:

City of Jacksonville — registration and tourist development tax collection required. Standard property-maintenance and noise rules apply.
Beach municipalities — Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, Atlantic Beach are separate jurisdictions with their own (generally permissive) STR rules. Confirm each one before offer.
HOA / condo overrides — common in beach high-rises and gated communities. Florida preemption does not override private deed restrictions.

The bigger issue is property insurance. Coastal Duval premiums have repriced sharply since 2022, and Citizens (state-backed insurer of last resort) covers a growing share of risk near the beach. See the Jacksonville STR ordinance and Duval County tourist development tax pages for current rules.

The market by the numbers

Metric	Jacksonville	Notes
Avg ADR	$174	Mid-tier coastal FL
Occupancy	55%	Bimodal — winter strong, summer humid
RevPAR	$96	Acceptable pre-insurance
Market score	71/100	Lower saturation than Orlando/Tampa
Saturation tier	C	Room for new entrants

Saturation tier C is notable — Jacksonville has not been over-built the way Orlando and Tampa have. That’s the buy case.

Submarkets that matter

Jacksonville Beach / Neptune Beach / Atlantic Beach — highest ADR, highest insurance, most leisure-driven demand.
Downtown / Riverside / San Marco — corporate, sports (Jaguars), and event demand; lower seasonality.
Mandarin / Southside — suburban SFR; family leisure and business mix.
St. Johns Town Center area — retail-adjacent business and convention demand.

The 3 mistakes buyers make here

Underwriting the beach with city-of-Jacksonville rules. Jax Beach, Neptune, and Atlantic Beach are separate municipalities. Pull the right ordinance for the right address.
Skipping the wind-mitigation inspection. Hip roof, hurricane shutters, impact glass, opening protection — every box materially lowers premium. Buyers under contingency should pay for the inspection.
Modeling summer occupancy too aggressively. Florida north-coast summers are hot, humid, and storm-watch-adjacent. Build the pro forma around winter and shoulder seasons.

What to do next

Get an STR-specific insurance quote from Proper, Steadily, or Foremost before the inspection period ends, and run DSCR Loan Calculator with the real number.
Run Comp Analyzer on three properties within the same beach municipality.
Use Year 1 Cash Needs with realistic hurricane-prep reserves.
Compare neighbors with Market Score.
Read The Florida Insurance Reset and What It Means for STR Buyers.

Not investment advice. Verify all regulatory, tax, and insurance information with local authorities and licensed professionals before committing capital.

Last reviewed 2026-05-07 · Estimated — community-sourced · Population 911,507