Before the pandemic, tens of thousands of bleary-eyed St. Johns County residents funneled onto I-95 and U.S. 1 every morning, headed to offices and job sites in Jacksonville and beyond.
Today, that flow has slowed significantly—but it hasn’t stopped.
New data shows that while fewer St. Johns residents now leave the county for in-person jobs, a large number still commute north and to neighboring counties each day, keeping old traffic patterns alive even amid a remote work boom.
According to Florida’s 2024 County Profile, based on detailed employment data from the state and U.S. Census, about 31% of employed St. Johns residents work outside the county, down from roughly 40% before the pandemic.
That nearly 9-point drop reflects a major shift in where and how people work, but also underscores that a large share of the local labor force still travels beyond county borders for physical jobs.
Remote work is a key factor in this change.
Nearly 24% of St. Johns workers logged in from home in 2023—nearly double the statewide average of 14%.
Explosive growth in telecommuting — fueled largely by out of state transplants — has helped reduce cross-county trips, especially to Duval County, historically the biggest draw for St. Johns commuters.
But the 31% outbound figure reveals that thousands still spend time in traffic heading to jobs in Jacksonville, Clay, Nassau, and Flagler counties. Duval remains the largest destination, followed by Clay and Nassau.
Common sectors drawing commuters include healthcare, logistics, education, and public administration—jobs that typically require a physical presence rather than a Zoom login.
Inbound commuting to St. Johns County has also increased in recent years, propelled by expanding retail, healthcare, and education hubs in places like International Golf Parkway, Nocatee, and County Road 210.
