Young professionals are lured to Jax for jobs as well as its low cost of living. With just a short drive to beaches and the country’s largest urban parks system (giving it a #18 ranking on our Parks & Outdoor subcategory), Jacksonville isn’t a bad place to hang your beach hat. With top jobs in aerospace, financial services, and IT, Jacksonville is home to companies like Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Mayo Clinic, JP Morgan Chase, Citi, Johnson & Johnson, and Aetna, giving the city high marks in our Prosperity category. Jax also has bragging rights to a diverse workforce, making it a more inclusive and welcoming city for all types of workers. With 22 miles of beaches and access to the winding St. Johns River, Jacksonville is filled with natural amenities to enjoy nearly all-year round in the Florida sunshine. And if outdoorsy activities aren’t your idea of a good time, you could always indulge in the local sports scene—whether you’re cheering for the Jaguars or their quirkily named minor league baseball team, the Jumbo Shrimp.