The "River City" has been highly ranked by numerous independent organizations and publications. From its low tax burden to high quality of life, Jacksonville soars above other cities in side-by-side comparisons. This translates into big returns for Jacksonville companies and an inherent advantage over their out-of-town competition.

Here is just a sample of Jacksonville's many rankings and accolades.

• Florida ranked No. 1 in “Workforce” and “Economic Climate” (CNBC and Forbes - 2008)
• Florida's business climate ranks fourth-best in the nation (Development Counsellors International - 2008)
• Jacksonville is No. 3 on the 2008 list of America's Cleanest Cities (Forbes magazine – 2008)

• Jacksonville ranks the ninth least stressful metro area in the U.S. (Bizjournals – 2008)

• No. 3 "Best City in the U.S. for Jobs" (Forbes magazine - 2007)

• Downtown Jacksonville has been named the "Best Downtown Development Retail Opportunity in the Nation" (Retail Traffic magazine - 2007)

• Jacksonville is the fastest growing U.S.-foreign trade gateway, earning the title of No. 1 Gem in the Expanding U.S. Export Market from leading research group, Global Insight, Inc.

• Jacksonville is No. 29 of the 100 largest metros in the United States and No. 2 in the state of Florida in income growth (Bizjournals - 2007)

• No. 5 "Best State Business Tax Climate" in the Nation (Tax Foundation 2007)

• According to a recent study by of new college graduates, Jacksonville is one of the top 25 Metro Areas in the country for Young adults (Bizjournals - 2007)

• "2006 Major Market of the Year" (Southern Business & Development magazine - 2006)

• One of the Top 10 "Hottest Cities that Will Lead Job Growth Through 2015" (Business 2.0 - 2006)

• One of the Top 10 "Logistics Metros" in the U.S. and a "Five-Star Logistics Metro" (Expansion Management magazine - 2006)

• One of the Top 10 "Hottest Cities in America for Business Expansions and Relocations" for eight consecutive years (Expansion Management magazine - 2006)

• One of the Top 5 "Up and Coming Areas" in the U.S. (Good Morning America - 2006)

• Jacksonville's millage rate of 16.6894 mils is one of the lowest in the state of Florida – lower than Miami, Orlando, Tampa and St. Petersburg (City of Jacksonville Property Appraiser)

• Jacksonville is the largest city by land area in the contiguous United States (City of Jacksonville Property Appraiser)

• No. 5 "Best Value Public Colleges" in the U.S. - University of North Florida (The Princeton Review - 2006)

• No. 10 "Best State for Biotechnology" (Ernst & Young Global Biotechnology Report – 2006)

• Jacksonville is home to three Fortune 500 companies, and leads the way in terms of Florida cities with the most Fortune 500 headquarters.

• No. 6 "Best State Business Climate" (Pollina Corporate Real Estate - 2006)

• Jacksonville has the largest urban park system in the United States (City of Jacksonville Property Appraiser)

• No. 6 best state in the "Small Business Survival Index 2005" (Small Business and Entrepreneurial Council - 2005)

• No. 3 "Large City for Doing Business" in the U.S. (Inc. magazine - 2005)