Over the past 5 years, Jacksonville’s 32204 zip code is a favorite of millennials – only Los Angeles, Manhattan, and Portland have a higher percentage of growth in that demographic.
“Millennials, the largest living adult generation in the United States with a population of more than 79.8 million, will determine the economic and cultural future of the nation,”writes University of North Florida Professor Matthew Corrigan in J Magazine’s Millennial Issue. “If Downtown Jacksonville is to thrive over the next 30 years, millennials will have to lead the way.”
RENTcafe.com, a national apartment search website, states Jacksonville’s 32204 zip code has the 6th highest percentage growth in millennials, behind other major cities long identified as millennial favorites, including Los Angeles (No. 1 and 2), Manhattan (No. 3 and 5) and Portland, Ore. (No. 4).
Jacksonville’s 32204 has the highest percentage growth in millennials over the last five years of any zip code in Florida. Topping locations in Fort Lauderdale (No. 2), Pompano Beach (No. 3), Orlando (No. 4 and 5) and Miami (No. 6 and 7).
The Proof - Thriving Local Businesses
“Our year-to-date sales are up 23 percent and a lot of that has to do with our popularity downtown,” says Devin Campbell, manager at Hawkers Asian Fusion. “It has had the highest amount of food sales this year because of its close proximity to the younger downtown crowd.”
“The recent influx of millennials continues to affect our family’s vegan café on multiple fronts. Since we opened in 2014, revenue has doubled as millennials have moved to the area,” says JP Salvat, who relocated to Riverside in 2013 from Jacksonville Beach and opened Southern Roots Filling Station.
Click here for Florida Times-Union's report on why millennials are choosing Jacksonville
