San Diego - CA vs Jacksonville - FL: 2026 Housing Comparison

What this means for buyers

San Diego - CA is roughly 164% more expensive than Jacksonville - FL in typical home value. Homes sit on market longer in Jacksonville - FL (49 days vs 25), suggesting more buyer leverage there.

San Diego vs Jacksonville: what the numbers say

At today's 7.24% average 30-year rate with 20% down, the typical home would cost about $5,054 a month in principal and interest in San Diego and $1,911 in Jacksonville, a gap of $3,142 a month.

Typical rent runs $2,967 in San Diego and $1,680 in Jacksonville, so the mortgage payment alone is 1.7 times rent in San Diego and 1.1 times rent in Jacksonville, before taxes and insurance.

Home prices are 26.0 years of rent in San Diego and 17.4 in Jacksonville; the lower ratio in Jacksonville means buying there is cheaper relative to renting.

Over the last 23 months typical values moved -1.8% in San Diego and -3.3% in Jacksonville; over just the last three months the change was +0.3% in San Diego and +0.1% in Jacksonville.

Homes sell for 99.3% of list price in San Diego and 96.8% in Jacksonville, after 25 and 49 days on the market, with price cuts on 29% and 29% of listings. All three signs point the same way: buyers have more room to negotiate in Jacksonville.

The number of homes for sale is down 6% on a year ago in San Diego and down 13% on a year ago in Jacksonville.

Payments assume a 30-year fixed loan at the Freddie Mac weekly average rate (2026-10-29), 20% down, principal and interest only. Home values, rents and market figures are Zillow Research metro data.