Two new developments are in the works near Jacksonville, Florida, as Northeast Florida continues to experience rapid growth following the pandemic.
PulteGroup said this month it is launching Murray Farms in Clay County, adjacent to Duval County, home to Jacksonville. The Atlanta-based homebuilder is developing a site off County Road 220 between Knight Boxx Road and College Drive in the town of Lakeside.
Plans call for the community to include 87 sites for single-family homes on 40- and 50-foot lots. Murray Farms will offer 10 floor plans, with a model home and sales expected to open in fall this year.
Also in Clay County, in the city of Green Cove Springs, Colorado-based Century Communities is planning a neighborhood to be called Asbury Creek.
Expected to open in mid-2026, Asbury Creek is set to offer 170 single-family homes and amenities including a pavilion, a playground and a multiuse field.
"Our team is always looking for great land opportunities in sought-after markets, and Green Cove Springs absolutely fits that profile," said Ryan Houck, Jacksonville division president for Century Communities, in a statement.
Starting home prices were not available for either community. PulteGroup and Century Communities did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Rapid growth
Northeast Florida has seen some of the most intense post-pandemic growth, according to Lisa McNatt, Homes.com director of analytics for Central and North Florida.
“The Jacksonville area is ranked 39th out of the nation's largest 40 housing markets, but is 25th in the U.S. for the year-over-year percentage change in the median price,” McNatt said. “It has risen by 2.2% in the past year to $375,000, or a nominal change of just over $8,000. But more importantly, the median price has grown by nearly 40% in the past five years following a brisk pace of population growth to Florida.
"In the last year alone, 2.7% of Duval County's population moved from another state, and another 3.3% moved from another county in Florida.”
Justin Cook, president of PulteGroup’s Northeast Florida Division, acknowledged that the influx of new residents was one of the major attractors for the project.
“With the area's continued growth, the market demand for new homes in Clay County and the value Pulte offers, we expect strong home buyer interest at Murray Farms," Cook said in a statement.