Business Environment
St. Johns County: Your Ideal Business Destination
We're experts in hospitality. Our business-friendly nature will make you feel right at home. With the lowest property tax and sales tax rates in the region, local economic development incentives, expedited permitting, and outstanding community services, your company is sure to prosper – quickly.
Your corporate neighbors have already discovered this charm.
What St. Johns County Has To Offer
When you hear St. Johns County is a "hot spot" these days, it's usually not a reference to the enviable year-round climate. Although primarily known as a tourist destination, principal commercial activities include aircraft manufacturing and modification, aluminum products, hi-tech wire and cable, specialty food products, automotive parts, precision gears, and biomedical research products.
St. Johns County offers an ideal location for businesses seeking to expand their horizons in our state, national, or global marketplaces. We welcome entrepreneurial activity and investment.
Our community leadership is united in a collective effort to encourage commercial and industrial development, and the Chamber's economic development partners can assist you in expanding or relocating your business here.
Supreme Business Opportunities
A supreme opportunity for business in St. Johns County lies in its labor force. The labor force in St. Johns County has grown by more than 45% over the last 10 years. In addition to having 254,261 residents of its own, the County is part of the Jacksonville Metropolitan Area, which has a total population of more than 1.4 million people. As a result, St. Johns County employers are able to draw from a large, diverse workforce. More than 4.8 million people (nearly a quarter of Florida's population) live within an approximately two-hour driving radius of St. Johns County; including Jacksonville, Orlando, Daytona Beach, Palm Coast, Melbourne-Palm Bay, Gainesville, Ocala and surrounding markets. From a distribution standpoint, the close proximity of Jacksonville's seaport and airport terminals - bound for major domestic and international markets - is another significant advantage. In fact, our Metropolitan Service Area has been consistently named as a "Top 5 Star Logistics Metro" by Logistics Today.
Transportation
Land
St. Johns County's location in Northeast Florida is a readily accessible destination from all angles. I-95, the principal north-south corridor along the eastern seaboard from Canada to Miami, runs straight through the heart of St. Johns County. Just 30 miles to our north, I-95 intersects with I-10, which runs from Jacksonville to Los Angeles. About an hour to our south, I-95 intersects with I-4, a quick pass through Orlando to Tampa, and other main hubs for business. U.S. Highway 1 and Florida Highway A1A also serve St. Johns County's north-south traffic, and several state roads run east-to-west providing easy and close access to Central Florida. Florida East Coast Railroad (FEC) provides service through St. Johns County and along the East Coast of Florida. Connections with CSX and NS in Jacksonville carry freight throughout North America.
Air
Northeast Florida Regional Airport (NFRA) in St. Augustine, located on US Highway 1, just north of downtown St. Augustine. NFRA is a key general aviation airport in the Northeast Florida Metropolitan Area. It serves the aviation and economic development needs of the county and is also a reliever airport for Jacksonville International, located 50 miles to the north. There are several large runways (4200', 2600', and 800'), as well as a number of smaller ones. The facility is serviced by VOR/DME navigational equipment. Because airport activity is expected to increase, a General Aviation Terminal was built to include a conference room for business meetings, flight planning area and lounge for pilots, and a 70-seat restaurant lounge.
Sea
The Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) owns and operates three public marine terminals and one passenger cruise terminal in Jacksonville Florida: the Blount Island Marine Terminal, the Talleyrand Marine Terminal and the temporary JAXPORT Cruise Terminal. JAXPORT develops, manages and markets those publicly-owned facilities to promote the growth of maritime and related industries in Jacksonville Florida and beyond. JAXPORT also offers year-round cruise ship service aboard Carnival Cruise Lines' ship Carnival Fascination. The Carnival Elation sails from the JAXPORT Cruise Terminal. JAXPORT's vision is to be a major economic engine in Northeast Florida by continuing to be a premier diversified port in the Southeastern United States, with connections to major trade lanes throughout the world. JAXPORT is an important part of the Jacksonville community.
St. Johns County Tourism Statistics
6.6 Million Visitors | $1.1 Billion Spent | 24,000 Jobs Supported
The St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors shares a unified commitment to attract new business development, to expand and diversify the tax base, and to create jobs for local residents. Success in economic development ensures St. Johns County's long-term financial ability to provide ongoing quality services and infrastructure and preserve the quality of life for its residential and corporate citizens. In so far as these objectives are generally served by the enhancement and expansion of the local economy, St. Johns County will give consideration to providing economic development grants as a stimulus for new business development within the County. For more information about how to manage a confidential economic development project, please contact Cathy Newman, Economic Development Manger, at (904) 787-2055 or email cathy.newman@sjcchamber.com.
Armed Forces
St. Augustine is home to the state headquarters of the Florida National Guard, located at the St. Francis Barracks on Marine Street just south of the Bridge of Lions. The personnel of the Florida National Guard coordinate statewide National Guard activities, as well as lend support to city, county and state authorities in times of natural disaster, civil unrest, and humanitarian assistance. The Robert F. Ensslin Jr. Armory on S.R. 207 named for Florida's former adjutant General, opened in 1992 to house the headquarters of the State Area Command (STARC) of the Florida National Guard, the STARC Medical Detachment 3 and Battery E, 265 Air Defense Battalion. The original armory on San Marco Avenue remains in use. It is a popular site for special events and functions, and also serves as a shelter in times of emergency.
Pitch Factory
The Pitch Factory is an entrepreneurial development program established in 2018 to refine the pitch needed to promote your business. Read more here.