Mandarin is amazing! The neighborhood is one of the most popular and trendy neighborhoods in Jacksonville, with beautiful parks and marinas open to all residents living in Mandarin. Mandarin Jacksonville gets its name from the mandarin orange, which you can find at many stores in and around the community.
Is Mandarin Jacksonville a good area? Yes, Mandarin is a good place to live, with safe streets and an inviting, family-friendly atmosphere. But before you start moving to Mandarin Jacksonville, you should learn more about living in Mandarin Jacksonville. Here’s your guide to this special Jacksonville neighborhood.
Mandarin Jacksonville is in Southside Jacksonville, along the southern border of the city. It’s the southernmost Jacksonville neighborhood, bordering Pickwick Park, Beauclerc, Loretto, and Southwood. It is 14.3 miles from Downtown Jacksonville to Mandarin, creating a commute of roughly 25 minutes without traffic. Florida State Road 13 runs through the eastern border of Mandarin Jacksonville and provides direct access to the downtown district, and Interstate 295 runs through the northern border and loops around Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Mandarin area is 40.5 square miles. The Mandarin zip code is 32223.
Mandarin Jacksonville’s most prominent geographic feature is the St. Johns River. The community has a very long coastline to the west and south, including access to Old Bull Bay. The coastline in Mandarin makes the neighborhood the best community in Jacksonville for boaters. If you’re not interested in boating, you can visit a few different parks and enjoy outdoor activities, making Mandarin Jacksonville FL perfect for an active lifestyle.
Mandarin Florida has several bus stops along Route 17 in the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) system. The JTA route runs from Mandarin Jacksonville FL to the downtown district, so you can use it for commuting to jobs in downtown businesses.
You can use this Mandarin Florida map to see where the neighborhood is and find great things to do, restaurants in Mandarin, and homes for sale in Mandarin FL.
The Timucuan people lived in the Mandarin Jacksonville FL area until British settlers arrived in the 1760s. The Levett family established a plantation in the community and cultivated a variety of crops. During the early 1800s, other plantations were established, and a small farming village developed. Mandarin Florida got its name in 1830 from Calvin Reed, a resident of the village.
After the Civil War, African Americans established a prominent community in Mandarin Jacksonville FL, starting orange farms in the area. A freeze in the early 1890s killed most of the orange crops, so farmers sold their properties to developers. In 1968, Mandarin Florida became part of Jacksonville. It is now today a residential community with parks where the farms used to be.
Mandarin Jacksonville FL’s most prominent resident was Harriet Beecher Stowe, the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin who also wrote a travel guide to Florida, encouraging many people to start moving to Mandarin. Other prominent residents include Val Demings and Allen Collins.
Mandarin Jacksonville demographics include:
Mandarin is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Jacksonville. Its median household income is nearly twice that of Jacksonville’s median. 1,835 households in the community make over $100,000 a year, accounting for almost half of all Mandarin Jacksonville FL households. Mandarin Jacksonville is popular amongst people who work in management, sales, and healthcare, high-paying jobs with stability and opportunities for promotion.
Mandarin is a residential community with few major attractions, so it’s a quiet and family-friendly place to live. It is a fairly big neighborhood, so while it is walkable, you can’t explore the entire community in one day. Some streets don’t have sidewalks, so you’ll need to go for walks on main streets or through parks, which are safe at night.
Most households in the neighborhood have married couples, with over 650 households having children. Singles can also enjoy living in the community, especially if they’re looking for apartments or townhomes. Mandarin Jacksonville is not a hip community with a significant nightlife, though a few restaurants in Mandarin Florida are open on weekends and late at night. This makes it suitable for people looking for a residential community with peace and quiet at night.
The culture in Mandarin Jacksonville FL is centered around the parks and marinas in the community. Many people have parties or spend time participating in outdoor activities in the parks. You can attend public events in the green spaces throughout the year.
You can find unique and cool things to do in Mandarin, including great stores and restaurants in Mandarin. Here’s what you should know about the best points of interest in the community.
Julington Creek Fish Camp is the most popular restaurant in Mandarin. The restaurant serves Cajun-inspired and Southern seafood dishes, including po boys, shrimp and grits, and crab cakes. Adults can enjoy a range of unique cocktails, draft beers, and local wines, making Julington Creek Fish Camp a great place for dates.
ChopHouse 13 is another romantic restaurant for adults. It is an upscale steakhouse that also serves seafood, smoked chicken, and lamb chops. You can visit an on-site bar that serves cocktails, bourbons, scotches, and tequilas from all over the world.
If you want to take your kids out, you can take them to V Pizza. V Pizza serves thin-crust and authentic Italian pizzas, pastas, and stromboli in a casual and inviting setting. You can order affordable lunch specials, including special pizzas and calzones with various toppings.
Riverplace Shopping Center is just outside of Mandarin, and it’s the best shopping mall in or near the community. It contains major stores like Walmart, Aldi, and Trader Joe’s. Mandarin South Shopping Center is another notable shopping mall that contains an AutoParts store and locally-run shops, including Hurricane Hobbies, a hobby shop.
Walter Jones Park was the first historic park established in the City of Jacksonville. It contains several historic structures, including the St. Joseph’s Mission Schoolhouse for African-American Children. The Mandarin Museum is located in the historic park and contains 1,630 square feet of exhibit space with artworks and artifacts from the Civil War and other notable events.
Rogers Park covers over an acre and contains soccer fields, picnic areas, and a playground for young children. You can also walk on hiking trails and explore patches of woods around the park.
Tommy Hazouri Sr. Park is located along Old Bull Bay, and it’s one of the best places for boating in the community. It contains a boat duck and boat ramp, and you can go boating in the water for as long as you’d like. The park also contains a scenic overlook with great opportunities for photography and drawings.
The City of Jacksonville Parks and Recreation Department maintains green spaces, parks, and historic points of interest in Mandarin Florida. You can use the Jacksonville Parks and Recreation calendar to see when parties and other special events will take place in Mandarin parks.
Here’s where you can find these things to do in Mandarin Jacksonville:
Duval County Public Schools is the public school district serving all residents living in Jacksonville. Students living in the northern half of Mandarin attend Crown Point Elementary School in Arrowhead, while students in the southern half attend Loretto Elementary School. 71% of Loretto Elementary students test at or above the proficiency level in mathematics, 23 percentage points higher than the state average.
All students living in Mandarin attend Mandarin Middle School in Mandarin Station, just outside of Mandarin Florida. Mandarin Middle School students then attend Mandarin High School, which has a graduation rate of 98%. Students at Mandarin High School can sign up for a dual enrollment program with the Florida State College at Jacksonville, earning credits toward a bachelor’s degree.
Mandarin Jacksonville does not contain any private schools or colleges. The South Mandarin Branch Library is just outside the neighborhood and offers kid-friendly and adult books for free.
Mandarin Florida is well-known amongst locals for being one of the safest neighborhoods in Jacksonville. The neighborhood’s latest crime rates are:
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) serves Mandarin residents. The JSO employs nearly 2,000 sworn police officers. The department recommends using this Jacksonville crime map to see where crimes occur in Jacksonville, with very few crimes taking place in Mandarin Florida.
Mandarin Jacksonville real estate is diverse, affordable, and competitive. According to Redfin, the median cost of homes for sale in Mandarin FL is $343,000, with an average price per square foot of $202. Sixty properties were sold in December 2023, mostly single-family homes for sale with three or four bedrooms.
Most homes for sale in Mandarin FL are single-family properties with multiple bedrooms. These properties usually cover over 1,500 square feet, providing room for young children or older relatives who may move in with you. Many homes for sale in Mandarin FL were built in the last 50 years, so they have contemporary features like open floor plans, white tile flooring, and granite countertops. However, you also have options for condos and townhomes. Condos have similar features to homes for sale, with three bedrooms and contemporary amenities like large counters and cabinets.
According to RentCafe, the average rent of Mandarin apartments is $1,569 a month, slightly higher than the city average of $1,504 but below the national average of $1,702. Only a few Mandarin apartments are open to renters, though there are several notable complexes within driving distance. Timberwalk at Mandarin is a complex with apartment homes, including one, two, and three-bedroom units. You can get an apartment with a vaulted ceiling, updated plank flooring, and walk-in closets. All residents have access to a private fishing pier and a saltwater swimming pool.
Moving to Mandarin Jacksonville will give you so many opportunities! You can spend your free time in some of Jacksonville’s top parks, dine in family-friendly Mandarin restaurants, and start living in luxurious homes and apartments.
But before you start living in Mandarin Jacksonville, you should find out who the best Jacksonville movers are. Skinner Moving and Storage completes over 2,000 moves each year. Call 904-730-1545 for a free moving estimate today.
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