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With a wide range of industries and employers, the Orange Park area is neither predominately white-collar nor blue-collar but presents a healthy mix of both. Many locals are either in the medical field or affiliated with the military. Office and administrative support is also a top occupation, along with sales, business, and financial occupations.
Some of the top employers in Clay County include the Orange Park Medical Center, AT&T, Clay Electric Cooperative, and HCA Patient Account Services. Many Orange Park area residents also commute to work elsewhere in the Jacksonville area, and the Jacksonville Naval Air Station provides a lot of jobs in the area.
Although it is a fairly small town, Orange Park and the surrounding areas offer several distinct neighborhoods, each with a unique atmosphere. Some of the most popular places to live in and around Orange Park include:
Public schools in Orange Park, which include Orange Park High School and Orange Park Elementary, are part of the Clay County School District. This school district consistently scores above-average ratings and has been recognized for excellent academic performance, college preparation, diversity, and a 15-to-1 student-teacher ratio. Clay County District Schools serve around 38,000 students in the area.
The Orange Park area also offers many higher education options, including St. Johns River State College, and the nursing school Fortis College. Several additional colleges and universities are located in nearby Jacksonville, including University of North Florida.
Moving to a new place always brings a few challenges, but the Town of Orange Park provides excellent online resources, including information on the local Police and Fire Departments. Be sure to also check in with the local Parks & Recreation department to learn more about outdoor recreation and events in Orange Park.
Florida Public Utilities provides natural gas, propane, and electricity to homes in the Orange Park area, though the Clay Electric Cooperative is also popular locally. Other local utilities, including water, sewer, trash collection, and recycling, are provided by the city through the Public Works Department.
The overall cost of living in Orange Park is a bit lower than the Florida average and lower than the U.S. as a whole. That includes housing. The median home cost in Orange Park is $257,500, and the average rental rate ranges from $775 for a studio apartment to $1,825 for a four-bedroom apartment.
The majority of homes in Orange Park are two- to four-bedroom single-family homes built between 1970 and 2000 (though some houses are quite a bit older). About 54% of the homes in Orange Park are owner-occupied, though the town does have a fair number of rental houses and apartment complexes.