Jacksonville vs New Bern
Jacksonville, North Carolina versus New Bern, North Carolina: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
New Bern edges out Jacksonville on overall objective livability (46 vs 42 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Jacksonville | New Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $50k | $56k |
| Cost of Living | $48k | $51k |
| Home Value | $176k | $203k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.00% | 0.79% |
| Income Tax | 4.50% | 4.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.32% | 9.67% |
| Unemployment | 8.9% | 4.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 46°F | 45°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 81°F | 81°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 56.5 in | 57.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.6 in | 1.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 223 days | 260 days |
| Summer Humidity | 72°F | 72°F |
| Comfortable Days | 87 days | 85 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 82.8 | 92.5 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 33 AQI |
| School Quality | 32.2 | 36.3 |
| Violent Crime | 1969/100k | 1737/100k |
| Property Crime | 2078/100k | 2050/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 71,908 | 31,373 |
| Median Age | 23.3 | 40.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.57 | 0.59 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.60 | 0.88 |
| Political Leaning | R+31 | R+19 |
| White (%) | 53.2% | 54.0% |
| Black (%) | 17.7% | 30.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 19.2% | 6.4% |
| Asian (%) | 2.7% | 5.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.1% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 15 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 6.5/20 | 8.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 112 mi | 111 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.0% | 81.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 15.58 | 40.16 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Jacksonville or New Bern more affordable?
- Jacksonville has the lower cost of living: its index is $48k, compared with Jacksonville's $48k and New Bern's $51k. Median rent is $1k in Jacksonville versus $1k in New Bern.
- Is Jacksonville or New Bern safer?
- New Bern has the lower violent crime rate. Jacksonville reports 1969/100k and New Bern reports 1737/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Jacksonville or New Bern?
- The median home value is $176k in Jacksonville and $203k in New Bern, so homes are more affordable in Jacksonville.