Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Public schools that outperform most of Alabama.
Jacksonville gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $216K for a typical one, or 3.9 years of the Anniston metro’s $55K median household income. It grades C+ overall, 79th among Alabama's 187 graded towns. The low prices come with trade-offs. Its crime rate is higher than 89% of U.S. towns, with 92 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, and the median household income is $52K, and 23% of residents live below the poverty line. On the plus side, its schools rank ahead of 88% of Alabama towns. Jacksonville’s violent crime rate is 6.2 per 1,000 residents, above both Alabama’s towns (2.9) and U.S. towns (1.6). Jacksonville is home to Jacksonville State University. Only 3 of the 187 Alabama towns we compare have a lower median age than Jacksonville.
Where Jacksonville beats most towns.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Kitty Stone Elementary School | PK–6 | 929 |
| Jacksonville High School | 7–12 | 756 |
| Calhoun County Career Technical Center | 10–12 | — |
Dr. J. C. Francis Office| College | Students |
|---|---|
| Jacksonville State University | 7,507 |
Census counts: 716 in 1850, 14,385 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1841 and 3 maps from 1947 on.
8 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Alabama), ordered by how far Jacksonville is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Jacksonville, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Jacksonville.
Jacksonville pairs an A for schools with modest home prices, is shaped by its college students and fares better on crime within Alabama than nationally.
31.7% of residents are enrolled in college, against 6.3% statewide, which pulls the median age down.
14% of residents are under 18 in Jacksonville. Adults 18 to 34 are 46% of residents (22% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 29% of residents (38% statewide). 12% of residents are 65 or older in Jacksonville.
| Jacksonville | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 14% | 23% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 12% | 18% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 31% | 23% | 29% |
54% women, 46% men
About 86 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±3.1 points). Across Alabama, 51.4% of residents are women.
| Jacksonville | AL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.4% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 6.6% | 10.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 35.5% | 9.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.1% | 12.9% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11% | 12.4% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.2% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.4% | 13% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 7.4% | 10.7% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 4.6% | 7.1% | 7% |
| No diploma | 10% | 11.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 33.8% | 30.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 18.2% | 20.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 6.7% | 9.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18.1% | 17.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 13.2% | 11.1% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Its A for schools comes with a B+ for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $216K.
Its public schools are run by the Jacksonville City school district. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Jacksonville High School, with 756 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitty Stone Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 929 | A− |
| Jacksonville High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 756 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AL on state tests and graduation
At 46.6 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 72% of Alabama’s graded towns.
The property crime rate in Jacksonville is 21.8 per 1,000 residents. Jacksonville reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 89% report less.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 68% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 4 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Jacksonville.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Jacksonville has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Jacksonville’s July high is 90°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Against the 6,400 U.S. towns with household incomes like Jacksonville’s, it is healthier than 69%, so its C+ isn’t only a matter of income. Within Alabama it is healthier than 58% of the 187 graded towns: much of Alabama scores lower on these measures.
42% of Jacksonville adults feel lonely. Jacksonville beats the Alabama average on 8 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 10. 25% of Jacksonville adults say their health is fair or poor.
| Jacksonville | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 36% | 33% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 40% | 36% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 19% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 15% | 12% |
| What stands out | Jacksonville | AL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.4% | 8.2% |
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 10.5% | 14.8% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 16.8% | 9.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Jacksonville has about as many jobs (3,776) as working residents, but only 812 people both live and work here.
Most working residents leave Jacksonville for work: only 19% work in town. Since 2013, Jacksonville has lost 291 jobs, to 3,776 in 2023. The top destinations are Anniston (19%), Oxford (7%) and Gadsden (5%).
| Jacksonville | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 19% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $52,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 8.6% | 6.7% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Typical home values rose 5.1% in the year to September 2026.
| Jacksonville | Alabama towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 50% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $820 a month | $943 a month | $1,185 a month |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
0.2 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Germania Springs Park | — | 18 |
| 2. Talladega National Forest | — | 8 |
| 3. Jacksonville City Park | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Jacksonville. Close and well known come first.
23 mi MountainCheaha Mountain
24 mi MuseumInternational Motorsports Hall of Fame
22 mi WaterfallNoccalula Falls Park
33 mi National PreserveLittle River Canyon National Preserve782K visitors a year
15 mi National MonumentFreedom Riders National Monument
15 mi GardenJanney Furnace ParkCheaha Mountain: Amann09 (talk · contribs), Public domain · International Motorsports Hall of Fame: BWard 1997, CC BY 4.0 · Noccalula Falls Park: Thejammer (talk), Public domain · Little River Canyon National Preserve: Richard A. Weaver, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Freedom Riders National Monument: Ser Amantio di Nicolao, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Janney Furnace Park: dofftoubab, CC BY-SA 3.0
1 within 15 miles of the center of Jacksonville
College town 32 of every 100 Jacksonville residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Alabama.
8 places in Jacksonville on the National Register of Historic Places.
5 notable people were born in Jacksonville.
City in Alabama, United States
Jacksonville is a city in Calhoun County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2020 census the population was 14,385, which is a 14.6% increase since 2010 and a 71.2% increase since 2000. It is included in the Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is home to Jacksonville State University, which is a center of commerce and one of the largest employers in the area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Jacksonville grades C+ overall, better than 35% of U.S. towns and #79 of 187 in Alabama. It grades C+ for health, D for safety and A for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
5 notable people were born here, including Riley Green and James A. Haley.
