Onslow County · Jacksonville · population 70,840
Where Jacksonville stands
At or near all-time high. averaging 8.2% annual growth over 5 years. population shrinking 0.7% per year.
Home value trajectory · last 10 years
Zillow ZHVI · monthlyLifestyle scores
Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.
Rent trajectory · last 5 years
Zillow ZORI · monthlyHome value vs rent · indexed to 100
Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)Rent vs buy
At a 16.1 price-to-rent ratio, Jacksonville is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.
How the momentum score breaks down
methodology →Jacksonville has averaged 8.2% annual appreciation over five years and the trend is still live (+3.8% in the last 12 months). When a momentum trade keeps working, the simplest explanation is usually correct: more people want in.
Jacksonville's population is shrinking 0.7% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — if people are leaving, the buyer pool is shrinking faster than the inventory. That eventually shows up in price.
About Jacksonville
Jacksonville is a city in Onslow County, North Carolina, with an estimated population of 70,840. The population has contracted 0.7% per year on average since 2020. The median home value in Jacksonville is $262,215 as of 2026-04, up 3.8% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +8.2% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Jacksonville average $1,355 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.9%). The composite momentum score is 70 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.
▲ Bull case
▼ Bear case
About Jacksonville (Wikipedia)
Jacksonville is the county seat of and the most populous community in Onslow County, North Carolina, which is coterminous with the Jacksonville, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,723, which makes Jacksonville the 14th-most populous city in North Carolina. Demographically, Jacksonville is the youngest city in the United States, with an average age of 22.8 years old, which can be attributed to the large military presence. The low age may also be in part due to the population drastically increasing over the past 80 years, from 783 in the 1930 census to 72,723 in the 2020 census.
Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.
City facts
Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.
Playbook
You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.
Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.
Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.
Local safety & alerts
No active National Weather Service alerts for Onslow County right now.
Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Onslow County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.
Cities like Jacksonville
Run the numbers for Jacksonville
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.
Climate & natural-disaster risk
State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.
Current weather
Find rentals & listings
Open current Jacksonville listings on the major real-estate sites.
Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.
Local news & community
Latest news
- How gas prices have changed in Jacksonville, North Carolina in the last weekThe Mountaineer · 2d ago
- Blue Ridge Cos. of High Point sells apartments on NC coast for $54M as investors target regionThe Business Journals · 8h ago
- Guthrie's Continues Expanding in the Carolinas with New Jacksonville, North Carolina LocationPR Newswire · 1d ago
- Raising Cane's restaurant to open on Western Boulevard – The Daily NewsJacksonville, NC · 3d ago
- Jacksonville, North Carolina City Council Repeals Ordinance Preventing Food Truck Operations But Still Faces Legal Claims From VendorsThe Institute for Justice · 2mo ago
- Jacksonville Man Sentenced to Over 35 Years in Federal Prison for Selling Women as Sex Slaves All Across AmericaDepartment of Justice (.gov) · 2mo ago
Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.
Local sports teams
Major professional teams the Jacksonville area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.
Local economy & environment
Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.
Cities similar to Jacksonville
Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.