Living in Murray Hill, Jacksonville

Where Murray Hill is and how it grew

Murray Hill is on Jacksonville's Westside, about five miles southwest of downtown, next to Avondale with Fishweir Creek near its eastern edge. The area was platted in the 1880s, but most growth came after the Great Fire of 1901 and after a streetcar extension reached it in 1914. It was its own town from 1916 until Jacksonville annexed it in 1925.

Edgewood Avenue is the main street, and the stretch known as the First Block was the original commercial district. Today it has restaurants, coffee shops and small businesses, and the Murray Hill Theatre is on Edgewood Avenue South. The residential streets around it are mostly 1920s to 1950s bungalows, cottages and small ranch houses on modest lots. The neighborhood also has a cluster of houses designed by Henrietta Dozier, an early Jacksonville architect.

For daily life, the location is the selling point. Avondale's shops on St. Johns Avenue, Riverside's Five Points and the river parks are a short drive, and downtown is roughly fifteen minutes away in normal traffic. I-10 and Roosevelt Boulevard are close for trips west and south. Many streets are within walking distance of the Edgewood Avenue businesses, which is uncommon for this price range in Jacksonville.

The price gap with Avondale and Riverside

Murray Hill's typical value of $231,843 compares with $421,736 in Avondale and $367,157 in Riverside. Avondale costs about 82% more on the typical figure. The houses are usually smaller in Murray Hill, and the lots tighter, but the location is a short drive from the same restaurants, parks and river that make the historic district expensive.

Compared with the rest of the city, Murray Hill sits close to Woodland Acres ($225,135), Oak Hill ($224,369) and Holiday Hill ($239,320) on Zillow's list. It is well above the lowest-priced areas such as Mid-Westside ($89,435) and below the typical Jacksonville house at $296,696.

Reading this year's 5.2% drop

Murray Hill fell 5.2% over the past year, compared with a 0.4% dip for the city. Over five years it is still up 12.0%, not far behind the city's 15.6%.

A one-year drop of that size in a small neighborhood can come from a shift in which homes sold as much as from a real fall in values. Several renovated houses selling the year before and more fixer-uppers this year would produce the same result. What it does tell a buyer is that sellers are not in control right now. Offers below asking, requests for repairs and seller help with closing costs are more realistic here than they were a few years ago.

What to check in a Murray Hill bungalow

Houses here are typically 70 to 100 years old. The checklist is similar to any older Jacksonville neighborhood, with a few points worth extra attention:

• Flip quality. Murray Hill has many renovated houses. New finishes can hide old wiring, original drain lines or patched framing. Ask what was replaced behind the walls and pull the permits.
• Roof. Insurers price on roof age. A new roof with a permit is one of the best things a house here can have.
• Foundation and crawl space. Many homes sit on piers. Check for termite damage, moisture and level floors.
• Sewer line. Older clay and cast iron lines fail. A camera scope is cheap insurance.
• Additions. Enclosed porches and rear additions are common. Check whether they were permitted.

Most insurers will ask for a 4-point inspection on a home this age. Get the homeowners quote before your inspection period ends.

Flood exposure near Fishweir Creek

Streets close to Fishweir Creek are lower than the rest of the neighborhood. Heavy rain and big storms can push water into low yards and streets near the creek. Most of the neighborhood sits higher, but elevation can change within a few blocks.

Look up the FEMA flood zone for each house and ask for any elevation certificate. Ask the seller whether water has come into the house or crawl space. In an A zone, flood coverage is a condition of a mortgage. Outside one, a flood quote is still worth getting, because standard homeowners policies exclude flood.

Rules, taxes and renovation plans

Murray Hill is outside the Riverside Avondale historic district, so most houses don't face the same design review on exterior changes. That makes additions and window replacement simpler. Check the specific property with the city anyway, since individual designations and zoning rules can apply.

Your tax bill starts from the price you pay, since the assessment resets on sale. If the house is your permanent residence, homestead takes up to $51,411 off the assessed value in 2026 and the 3% Save Our Homes cap limits later increases. On a lower-priced home, that exemption makes a large difference in the yearly bill. Florida has no state income tax.

Who Murray Hill fits

Murray Hill fits first-time buyers and downsizers who want an older house with character close to Avondale and Riverside, and buyers who want a small main street within walking distance for many homes. It is less suited to buyers who want a large house, a big lot or a new build. For buyers comparing it with the historic district next door, a shortlist with the same size house in each shows exactly what the extra money buys.