Northeast Florida a good option for home buyers who make health care a priority.

Health issues are not typically a primary driver for a person or family planning a move. In fact, most movers are just looking for a newer/better home, among other reasons.

But, that doesn’t mean health care isn’t important. In Florida, where folks are often moving to retire, access to quality health care can be very important. It’s just not necessarily the prime motivator.

In our business here in northeast Florida, for instance, we often run into home buyers who will cite access to quality health care among the top 5 or so reasons they’re looking in the Jacksonville area. And quite often, they’ve done their research.

Unfortunately, if you look at Florida as a whole, the state doesn’t rank among the tops in health care. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t great hospitals and providers in the state. So, as with real estate in general, people who dig a little deeper and research at a more local level can often find exactly what they need.

Here in Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra and St. Augustine, Florida, for example, there are plenty of great hospitals and great providers doing exceptional work. For instance:

• Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville is ranked #1 in the state of Florida, according to US News & World Report; it’s also nationally ranked for 7 adult specialities
• Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville is also ranked among the 100 great hospitals in America, according to Becker’s Hospital Review

Of course, Mayo isn’t the only solid hospital system in the area:

• Baptist Medical Center in Jacksonville ranks 7th in the state, according to US News & World Report
• Baptist Medical Center is also ranked nationally for 2 children’s specialities and high performing in 12 other specialities
• Nemours Children’s Health System is also ranked as a great place to work by Becker’s Hospital Review

If you’re still not convinced that Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra and northeast Florida don’t have solid health care infrastructure, consider the massive investments in expansion and improvements being undertaken throughout the area.

Some more details:

• Memorial Hospital has been designated as a Level II trauma center
• Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry is proposing $120 million go toward improvements at UF Health Jacksonville, already a Level I trauma center and the hospital serving many area uninsured and underinsured patients
• St. Vincents HealthCare is planning a $23 million expansion to its hospital in Clay County

Again, health and access to quality health care are not often a primary driver for relocation. But if health is still a high priority when planning your move to Florida, Jacksonville and the surrounding area should definitely make your list of options.