City comparison
Yes. Jacksonville's crime index is 150 versus 350 in New Orleans, and its violent crime index is 155 versus 393, using 2024-2025 FBI data for Jacksonville and 2023 FBI data for New Orleans.
New Orleans is cheaper. Median rent is $1,251 a month versus $1,465 in Jacksonville.
Safety is where Jacksonville and New Orleans split most clearly. Jacksonville scores 200 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,465 in Jacksonville and $1,251 in New Orleans.
Neither city has a clear overall edge here. New Orleans costs less and Jacksonville pays more: the right call depends on whether you are optimizing for take-home pay or monthly burn rate. Both are defensible choices for different reasons.
The crime gap is citywide. Jacksonville has rougher pockets and New Orleans has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Jacksonville and New Orleans are 504 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,465 a month in Jacksonville to $1,251 a month in New Orleans, down $214 a month (15%).
Median household income goes from $69,872 in Jacksonville to $56,631 in New Orleans, down $13,241 (19%).
The crime index goes from 150 in Jacksonville to 350 in New Orleans, up 200 points (133%).
The move
New Orleans and Jacksonville are 504 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,251 a month in New Orleans to $1,465 a month in Jacksonville, up $214 a month (17%).
Median household income goes from $56,631 in New Orleans to $69,872 in Jacksonville, up $13,241 (23%).
The crime index goes from 350 in New Orleans to 150 in Jacksonville, down 200 points (57%).
Jacksonville, FL
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
New Orleans, LA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Jacksonville and New Orleans? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
15% cheaper
New Orleans rent is 15% cheaper than Jacksonville
Jacksonville
$1,465/mo
New Orleans
Winner$1,251/mo
Typical rent runs $1,251 a month in New Orleans versus $1,465 in Jacksonville, so New Orleans is 15% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $2,568, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. New Orleans still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Jacksonville.
Planning to buy in New Orleans? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
23% higher
Jacksonville's median income is 23% higher than New Orleans
Jacksonville
Winner$69,872
New Orleans
$56,631
Median household income is $69,872 in Jacksonville versus $56,631 in New Orleans, so typical pay runs 23% higher in Jacksonville (about $13,241 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Jacksonville is the stronger labor market on paper. New Orleans can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
57% lower crime
Jacksonville's crime index is 57% lower than New Orleans
Jacksonville
Winner150 (100 = avg)
New Orleans
350 (100 = avg)
Jacksonville's crime index is 150 versus 350 in New Orleans (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 57% lower in Jacksonville. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Jacksonville is the easier city. New Orleans can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
2% more comfortable
New Orleans weather is 2% more comfortable than Jacksonville
Jacksonville
73°F avg · 80°F highs · comfort 98/100
New Orleans
Winner73°F avg · 81°F highs · comfort 100/100
Jacksonville averages about 73°F (80°F highs); New Orleans averages about 73°F (81°F highs). Jacksonville sits near 73°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. New Orleans sits near 73°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. New Orleans scores 2% closer to the 65-80°F comfort band on this page, so it is the easier default for year-round outdoor errands and evenings. Choose Jacksonville if you already prefer its hotter or cooler pattern and have budgeted for the AC or heating that comes with it.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Jacksonville is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 23% higher here ($69,872). Start with Jacksonville if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Jacksonville is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 57% lower than New Orleans (150 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Fit check
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
New Orleans is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 15% cheaper here at about $1,251 a month. Choose New Orleans if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Pick New Orleans if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (73°F) beat Jacksonville on this page's weather index by 2%. Jacksonville may pay more or cost less, but New Orleans is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Bottom line
New Orleans carries the heavier crime signal on this page (22/100 safety vs 48/100 in Jacksonville). That 26-point spread matters more than the $214 rent gap when you are choosing where to walk after dark.
New Orleans rent at $1,251/month is still below Jacksonville's $1,465, so cost-sensitive households should weigh the lease before the paycheck.
Typical rent stays $1,251 in New Orleans and $1,465 in Jacksonville.
If safety drives your move, Jacksonville is the stronger match (48/100 safety versus 22/100). If an employer or family tie already points to New Orleans, treat $1,251/month rent and $56,631 income as the numbers that actually govern the decision.
Common questions
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Next steps
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Jacksonville and New Orleans, plus other cities in FL and LA.
