Despite the negative commentary, truly not a bad place to live. The growth in the region has been steady in nearly all sectors, even during recent economic downturns. Unemployment is low, taxes are low (Florida has no state income tax), the cost of living and housing costs are extremely reasonable. The heat gets somewhat oppressive in the summer, but there's miles of beaches and lots of swimming pools. There's more than enough to do: decent clubs, lots of water sports, professional and semi-pro sports, endless golf, good fine arts (including a really nice symphony orchestra). There's an excellent community college system, as well as a good state school (the University of North Florida) and a great private university (Jacksonville University). The University of Florida and Florida State are reasonably close.
The slight inward bend in the state along the coast is credited with keeping most Atlantic hurricanes at bay. (They tend to run up the coast and slam into the Carolinas.
Nothing is perfect: the growth has created some traffic problems. The city's school system has a history of problems, but they're workable. (The systems in the surrounding suburban counties are all excellent). You must have air conditioning in the car and house from May through September, or you will die. There's not much useful mass transit. There are a lot of redneck types, but enough of us smart aleck yankees to keep them culturally challenged.
That there are worse places in America to live is an absolute certainty. I've lived in a few myself.