East vs. West of 3rd Street in Jacksonville Beach: What’s the Difference?

If you’re looking at homes in Jacksonville Beach, there’s one street that can make a surprisingly big difference in both price and lifestyle.

Third Street—also known as A1A—runs north and south through Jacksonville Beach and is one of the dividing lines I frequently use when helping buyers understand the area.

You’ll often hear homes described simply as being “east of 3rd” or “west of 3rd.”

It sounds like a small distinction. After all, you may only be talking about crossing one street.

But that one street can significantly change what you’ll pay, how much house and yard you’ll get, and what everyday life looks like after you move in.

What Does “East of 3rd” Mean?

Pretty simply, it means you're between Third Street and the ocean.

And proximity to the ocean comes at a price.

I used to tell buyers to expect to pay roughly $200,000 more just to cross Third Street. Today, I’m more hesitant to attach a specific number to it because the difference varies so much based on the home, location, age, size and condition.

But the basic principle hasn't changed:

Prices can jump significantly simply by crossing Third Street.

And here's the part that sometimes surprises buyers.

You're often paying more money for a home on a smaller lot with considerably less yard.

That may sound like a strange trade until you understand what you're really buying.

The beach becomes your backyard.

For someone who pictures walking to the ocean in the morning, riding a bike to dinner or spending weekends on the sand, giving up some private yard space may be an easy trade to make.

Going West Doesn't Mean Giving Up the Beach Lifestyle

This is something I think buyers sometimes underestimate.

If the home you want east of Third stretches your budget too far, moving west doesn't mean abandoning the lifestyle that brought you to Jacksonville Beach.

Sometimes it just means trading your flip-flops for a beach cruiser.

You may not walk out the door and have your toes in the sand within a few minutes, but you're still remarkably close to the ocean.

If you're still getting familiar with the area, our guide to Moving to Jacksonville Beach: What You Should Know Before Relocating offers a broader look at what it's actually like to live here.

And depending on where you buy, moving west can mean more house, more yard or simply a much more comfortable monthly payment.

You can still live the beach lifestyle without going broke trying to live as close to the ocean as possible.

The Grid Exists on Both Sides of 3rd Street

Another misconception is that east of Third is the "beachy" grid while west of Third is made up of traditional neighborhoods.

It's more complicated than that.

Jacksonville Beach's familiar grid of numbered streets extends across both sides of Third Street.

As you continue farther west toward the Intracoastal Waterway, however, the character begins to change.

That's where you'll find more neighborhoods with winding streets, mature oak trees, larger yards and cul-de-sacs. Some of these areas feel much more like traditional suburban neighborhoods. We take a closer look at some of those differences in our guide to the Best Neighborhoods in Jacksonville Beach.

The tradeoff is additional distance from the ocean.

But "farther from the ocean" is relative in Jacksonville Beach.

Even from neighborhoods closer to the Intracoastal, you're only a couple of miles from the beach. If you're comfortable hopping on a beach cruiser, the ocean can still be roughly a 10-minute bike ride away.

So the choice isn't necessarily between beach lifestyle or suburban neighborhood.

In Jacksonville Beach, you can have quite a bit of both.

East vs. West Is Different in North and South Jacksonville Beach

This is where local knowledge becomes particularly useful because I don't view Third Street exactly the same way throughout Jacksonville Beach.

In North Jacksonville Beach, whether a home is east or west of Third is generally less important to me.

The character of the area remains relatively consistent as you travel from the ocean toward the Intracoastal. Crossing Third doesn't necessarily make you feel as though you've suddenly left the beach community behind.

South Jacksonville Beach is different.

Once you move west of Third, you'll encounter more retail, commercial areas, schools and other uses mixed throughout the area.

Some pockets still have a distinctly beach-oriented feel. Others can feel considerably more suburban.

That isn't necessarily a negative.

In fact, those differences can create opportunities for buyers who want more house, a larger yard or a lower price while remaining very close to the ocean.

It simply means that in South Jacksonville Beach, I'd pay close attention to exactly where the home is located rather than judging it by the Jacksonville Beach address alone.

So Is It Worth Paying More to Live East of 3rd?

This is where I think buyers sometimes ask the wrong question.

Instead of asking whether living east of Third is "worth it," I would ask:

Where are you actually going to spend your time?

My own family is a good example.

We enjoy having a larger home, a bigger lot, a pool and a cul-de-sac. We spend quite a bit of our free time at home, so those things add real value to our everyday life.

For us, giving up some proximity to the ocean is a worthwhile trade.

I know other people who would make the opposite choice without hesitation. If that lifestyle appeals to you, our guide to Living Near the Ocean: What It's Really Like covers some of the benefits—and tradeoffs—that come with living close to the coast.

They'd happily live in a smaller home with very little yard if it meant walking out their front door and having their toes in the sand a few minutes later.

Neither choice is better.

They're simply different ways of living at the beach.

Think About the Lifestyle Before the House

If I were comparing two similarly priced homes—one smaller and east of Third and another larger home farther west—I wouldn't start by asking which house you like better.

I'd want to know how you actually plan to live.

Do you spend most weekends at home?

Would you use a pool and larger backyard regularly?

Do you need more room inside the house?

Or are you the type of person who wants to get home from work, throw on flip-flops and walk toward the ocean?

Would you rather have a private backyard—or have the beach become your backyard?

Those answers often make the real estate decision much easier.

That's one of the things I enjoy most about helping people buy at the Beaches. The goal isn't simply finding the nicest house your budget will allow.

It's finding the home—and the location—that fits the way you actually want to live.

If you're considering Jacksonville Beach and aren't sure which part of the area makes the most sense for you, I'm always happy to help you think through the tradeoffs.

More Jacksonville Beach Resources

If you're researching a move to Jacksonville Beach, these guides may also be helpful:

• Moving to Jacksonville Beach: What You Should Know Before Relocating
• Best Neighborhoods in Jacksonville Beach
• Living Near the Ocean: What It's Really Like
• Browse Jacksonville Beach Homes for Sale