About 28 miles from Jacksonville, Green Cove Springs is where neighbors know one another. “It’s a very friendly place,” says Rosalind Arnold, a Broker/Owner at Exit Magnolia Point Realty with 25 years of experience. “People in the older parts of downtown know the grandparents, the parents and the kids. The newer people moving into the developments are real close-knit group, too. If anybody’s sick or anything, people rally around them, and they really care about each other.” This ten-square-mile town on the St. John’s River has monthly events in its downtown district, and its Spring Park is a major gathering place for the community. Among other major draws, its housing prices are lower than the national average, and its school district is highly rated.
Though its population has grown by almost 50% since 2010, locals say the city has stayed true to its roots. “It’s growing really fast, but it’s still the way small towns used to be,” says Arnold. “It’s run by a five-person city council, and it’s easy to get any of those five people on the phone. Your voice really matters here.” Because of this collaboration, the downtown district is getting a facelift, and Walnut Street is undergoing a $3 million renovation as of March 2024. The two-lane bridge over the St. John’s River will be converted into a fishing pier, too, and the new First Coast Expressway will widen the route to four lanes by 2030. The $600 million project will connect State Road 16 to Interstate 95, decreasing traffic backups and bringing more travelers in the process.
Aerial view of the town center in Green Cove Springs neighborhood.
The Green Cove Springs neighborhood sign will welcome you home every time you drive by.
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Spring Park: recreation and events
Spring Park is where this town gets its name. This riverfront space features one of only 60 natural springs in Florida, which originates from an underground aquifer and feeds into a public pool. Residents can dip in the water — at a constant temperature of 77 degrees, by the way — or they might fish along the City Pier. A lot of the homes in this area also have private docks, so boating is another popular option. Four miles upriver, Camp Chowenwaw Park has 150 acres of Black Creek camping and hiking; four miles downriver, Bayard Conservation Area offers 9,700 acres of floodplain forests. It may not seem like it with all the marshes, but residents are just 30 miles from Vilano Beach.
Third Saturday Market is held every month at Spring Park, where local vendors sell arts, crafts, jewelry and more. Also in the park, Food Truck Fridays brings portable food and music from March to November. “These events are so popular that the trucks fight over who gets to come in, and they typically have a band that joins them,” says Arnold. “Our town’s only 10,000 people but about 5,000 people come to each one.” Memorial Day’s Riverfest hosts entertainment and fireworks all day long, and the Dreamland Squadron does a flyover to honor the troops. The first Saturday in December, Christmas on Walnut Street has a light show to kick off the season, and its parade has more than 50 festive floats.
Spring Park offered plenty of shade to residents attending Food Truck Friday.
More than 40 vendors participate in the GCS 3rd Saturday Market.
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Downtown properties on the river and new subdivisions
Downtown holds a mix of midcentury and modern homes. Here, older properties with less square footage are around $230,000, while 21st-century homes are more toward $300,000. These ranges are set in stone, of course, as homes closer to the river inch toward $1,000,000. New developments on the east side of town often have homeowners associations and wooded lots, hovering around $350,000. Lots are still available in some of these subdivisions, and with time-on-market at 102 days, buyers have time to decide their favorite. And since the median price is $330,000 as of March 2024, they have opportunities roughly 20% cheaper than the national average. Green Cove Springs has a CAP Index crime score of 4 out of 10, which is on par with the U.S. score.
You can definitely find historic homes in Green Cove Springs neighborhood.
Large historic home at the center of Green Cove Springs surrounded by Christmas Trees.
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Cute downtown in Green Cove Springs
A handful of coffee, sandwich and pizza spots cluster in downtown Green Cove Springs, centered around Orange Avenue. Walnut Street, one of the cross streets, houses a few boutiques and leads to Spring Park’s river views. The town is also the county seat for Clay County, so the courthouse and other administrative facilities can be found in this district. Department stores are an 8-mile drive north to Fleming Island, and while there are a couple of galleries and museums in town, Jacksonville’s cultural scene is 28 miles away.
There is a shopping street in downtown Green Cove Springs.
Sprig Park Coffee house is a popular hang out spot for the locals in Green Cove Springs.
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Clay County Schools get an A-minus
Serving 41,000 students across its 48 institutions, Clay County School District is rated an A-minus by Niche and ranks as their second-best district for the Jacksonville area. Students in Green Cove Springs don’t have many of these options available, but they do have a complete pipeline for kindergarten through 12th grade. They can start at Charles F. Bennett Elementary, rated a B-minus by Niche, and can advance to A-minus-rated Green Cove Springs Middle. Their next step is likely Clay High, rated a B-plus by Niche, and its Advanced International Certificate of Education allows students to earn up to 45 hours of college credit. While it hasn’t received a rating yet, Spring Park Elementary opened in September 2023, and it provides another option for younger kids.
Charles E Bennett Elementary is the first step in education for the kids in Green Cove Springs.
Clay High School is the largest school complex in Green Cove Springs.
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North Florida hurricanes
While these residents are about 35 miles inland, they still have to deal with Florida storms. “You know when a hurricane is coming, and you have plenty of time to get ready,” says Rosalind Arnold. “The city does a great job with its alert system, and there’s a shelter for people who don’t have a place to go. The biggest problem we have with hurricanes is trees falling down and losing electricity.” These effects differ depending on the property, as Hurricane Irma destroyed or damaged 450 homes in greater Clay County; it also produced $800,000 worth of road damage.
If you like boating, you will love Green Cove Springs.
Aerial view of the waterfront luxury homes in Green Cove Springs neighborhood.
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State Roads 16 and 17
Green Cove Springs is pretty spread out across its 10 square miles, so most people drive around town. State Road 16 runs east and west through downtown and houses Kindred Hospital North Florida; State Road 17 runs north and south, making for an 8-mile trip to Fleming Island. Jacksonville International Airport is about 20 miles farther. Because of its central location, these main roads can experience a lot of through traffic, and evening commutes might take 15 minutes longer.
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