What do New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, and New Orleans all have in common? Well, for one thing, they’re all considered among the most exciting cities in America, if not the world. Jacksonville, Florida, on the other hand — not so much. At least according to Reddit, whose users recently named Jacksonville as one of the most boring cities in the country.
Taking a break from our coverage of the Sunshine State sports scene, and the latest legal Florida sports betting legislation, FloridaBet.com logged onto Reddit to survey 600 U.S. residents on the sites r/AskReddit subreddit. We asked them, of the top 50 most populous urban centers in the country, “What is the most boring major US city?” Check out the full results of our poll below.
America’s Most Boring Cities: Survey Results
*Rounded to nearest whole number
What's So Boring About Jacksonville?
As you can see, Jacksonville is tied with Dallas, Texas, as the sixth most boring city in America, which means according to Reddit there are only five major cities less entertaining in the entire country.
Uninspiring Indianapolis takes the “prize” as the most monotonous metropolis with 5.5% of the votes. Meanwhile, a trio of Southwestern cities land in spots two through four, including sleepy San Jose (5.2%), forgettable Phoenix (4.3%), and ho-hum Houston (4%).
But Redditors be darned, Jacksonville has a lot to offer. Surely, there are plenty of New Yorkers jealous of Jacksonville’s whopping 22 miles of sandy beaches (especially in the middle of winter). And beyond the beach, the city boasts the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, home to more than 2,000 rare and exotic animals.
Jacksonville also happens to be the Shrimp Capital of Florida. Across the city, foodies can delight in locally caught shrimp, fresh from the mouth of the St. Johns river near historic Mayport Village. There’s even a “Mayport Shrimp Passport” challenge that invites residents and visitors alike to try out Jax’s favorite seafood at 24 unique destinations.
One guy who definitely doesn’t consider Jacksonville a dull city is PGA golfer Scottie Scheffler. Last month, he successfully defended THE PLAYERS Championship, going-back-to-back at nearby TPC Sawgrass (technically in Ponte Verde, but less than half an hour from downtown Jacksonville). The tournament has been held in the area since 1976.
On the other hand, Jacksonville Jaguars fans are feeling a mixture of boredom and anxiety as they await the opportunity to rebound after just barely missing the playoffs in 2023. Offseason additions of wide receiver Gabe Davis and defensive tackle Arik Armstead bring some excitement to the city, as does the upcoming NFL draft. The Jags own the 17th overall pick.
And if Jacksonville is a little boring sometimes, that’s OK too. It just means that there’s more time to spend at the beach. Hopefully, once Florida sports betting apps become legal, it will change the "boring" perception in Jacksonville.
Author
Jeff Parker is an entertainment writer for FloridaBet.com. A writer for film, television and the internet, Jeff is a life long movie buff, with a Masters Degree in Popular Culture. He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he works full time as documentary filmmaker and producer.
