What Riverside/Avondale is actually like
Riverside was first platted in 1868 on land carved from a former riverfront plantation, and was annexed into the City of Jacksonville in 1887. Its major building boom ran between the Great Fire of 1901 — which pushed displaced downtown residents west into the neighborhood — and the collapse of the 1920s Florida land boom, leaving Jacksonville with what's believed to be the largest concentration of bungalow housing stock in Florida, most of it here. Avondale developed just west of Riverside starting in 1920 as a more uniformly upscale, predominantly Mediterranean Revival subdivision.
Riverside Avondale Preservation, the neighborhood's advocacy group founded in 1974, is one of the largest neighborhood preservation organizations in the country, and helped the combined district — roughly 6,870 acres and about 2,120 historic buildings — become Jacksonville's first National Register Historic District in 1985 (Avondale followed in 1989). In 2010 the American Planning Association named Riverside and Avondale one of the country's top ten neighborhoods.
The neighborhood's commercial life centers on a few distinct strips: Five Points, known for an eclectic mix of shops, bars, and the historic Sun-Ray Cinema (opened 1927); the King Street District, revived since roughly 2005 into a craft-beer hub; and the Shoppes of Avondale along St. Johns Avenue, an upscale boutique and restaurant corridor. Bounded roughly by I-10, the St. Johns River, Fishweir Creek, and the CSX rail line, Riverside/Avondale today functions as one of Jacksonville's most desirable close-in neighborhoods.
Home values in Riverside/Avondale
Zillow tracks home values city-by-city, not for every neighborhood within a city — Riverside/Avondale is one of the pockets that doesn't get its own figure. Rather than publish a citywide number that might not reflect this specific part of town, we're leaving pricing out of this particular guide for now.
Getting around
JTA local bus routes run through the neighborhood; it's roughly 2-4 miles from downtown via Riverside Avenue, Park Street, or I-10; the Riverwalk and Riverside Park connect toward downtown; no rail transit, but it's considered one of Jacksonville's more walkable, bikeable neighborhoods.
Riverside/Avondale FAQ
Is Riverside/Avondale within walking distance of downtown Jacksonville?
It's adjacent — roughly 2-4 miles — walkable or bikeable for some trips and a short 5-15 minute drive off-peak, connected via Riverside Avenue, Park Street, and the Riverwalk.
What's the difference between Riverside and Avondale?
Riverside is the larger, older, and architecturally more eclectic of the two (platted 1868, bungalow-heavy); Avondale (developed 1920) is the more uniformly upscale, Mediterranean Revival subdivision just west of it — the two are generally discussed and preserved together today.
Does this area flood?
It's riverfront/tidal-adjacent terrain, and the Riverside/San Marco area saw documented flooding during Hurricane Irma in 2017. Risk varies block by block — check FEMA flood maps for the specific address, especially for river-facing streets.
What schools serve Riverside/Avondale?
Duval County Public Schools; the zoned high school is Riverside High School, with DCPS magnet programs available district-wide by application.
Who provides utilities?
JEA handles electric, water, and sewer, as it does throughout Duval County.