Neighborhoods blend to create a larger city

Jacksonville is a town of neighborhoods, each with elementary schools, parks and churches within walking distance.
Housing offers living for everyone, from middle-class homes to downtown apartments and condominiums for the modern urbanite to executive mansions.

Most children can ride their bikes or walk to school. People know their neighbors. Commuting to work is hardly worth the term: Any place in town is within a 10-minute drive.
The cost of living is relatively low, with housing prices below the state average — in 2008, the average home price in Jacksonville and the immediate area was about $111,500, according to the Jacksonville Area Association of Realtors’ MLS listings.
Most of the housing stock is single-family, owner-occupied homes with a wide variety of styles, ages and prices to fit nearly any family.
Amid the stretches of single-family neighborhoods is also housing specifically designed for a variety of special needs. That, too, is a major current in the town’s history.
The Illinois School for the Deaf and the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired call Jacksonville home. Both are state residential magnet schools for elementary through high school students and have a noticable effect on the town.
Families often move to Jacksonville when their children attend one of these state schools. Many stay.
And, finally, by showcasing the wonderful attractions, activities and recreational opportunities for visitors to spend money in the county.