Nocatee vs SilverLeaf vs RiverTown vs Shearwater vs JCP: One Table, No Opinions
The five master-planned heavyweights of St. Johns County, compared the only way that holds up — MLS closings with dated windows and sample sizes, plus the CDD assessments as printed in each district’s own budget. Forum threads argue; the matrix just states.
The matrix
| Nocatee | SilverLeaf | RiverTown | Shearwater | Julington Creek Plantation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median sold price | $667,543 | $644,380 | $550,500 | $497,882 | $520,000 |
| Median $ / sq ft | $282 | $247 | $241 | $221 | $221 |
| Median days on market | 150 days | 60 days | 53 days | 44 days | 29 days |
| Sale-to-original-list | 95.7% | 97.1% | 95.8% | 97.0% | 96.9% |
| New-construction share | 85.8% | 84.7% | 83.7% | 40.5% | 0.0% |
| Closings in window | 148 | 202 | 178 | 158 | 173 |
| Window ends | 2026-08-26 | 2026-08-26 | 2026-08-26 | 2026-08-10 | 2026-08-26 |
| Annual CDD assessment | $1,770–$2,420 Tolomato CDD, FY2025 (Duval side $1,786–$2,197 FY2026) | None advertised by the developer — verify the non-ad-valorem line on any lot’s tax bill before closing | $1,996–$2,662 Rivers Edge CDD III, FY2025 | $2,322–$2,965 Trout Creek CDD, FY2025/26 | $1,385 SF / $846 TH FY2025, secondary source — pending district verification |
| HOA dues (MLS-derived) | not on record | about $1,368/year | about $53/year | about $236/year | about $580/year |
| Full guide | Nocatee guide → | SilverLeaf guide → | RiverTown guide → | Shearwater guide → | JCP guide → |
Medians are community-level MLS figures for each community’s current window and reflect its product mix — a community selling mostly new 50-foot lots will not read like one selling mature resales. CDD figures link to their source pages; assessments vary by lot width and bond series, and the tax bill for a specific lot is the only number that binds.
What each one actually is
Nocatee
The amenity flagship: the largest footprint, splash parks, and the deepest resale bench of the newer four. Current window: median $667,543 at $282/sqft, 150 days median market time, 85.8% of recorded sales new construction (n=148, through 2026-08-26). Full Nocatee guide.
SilverLeaf
The no-CDD pitch at scale: heavy active building, so most of its record is new-construction pricing. Current window: median $644,380 at $247/sqft, 60 days median market time, 84.7% of recorded sales new construction (n=202, through 2026-08-26). Full SilverLeaf guide.
Data note: MLS entries split SilverLeaf across subdivision spellings; this column uses the largest record (n=202, 85% new construction). A smaller resale-weighted record (n=29) shows a $453,000 median — the master plan’s resale market is younger and thinner than the others here.
RiverTown
The riverfront play: St. Johns River access and river-facing amenities the other four cannot offer. Current window: median $550,500 at $241/sqft, 53 days median market time, 83.7% of recorded sales new construction (n=178, through 2026-08-26). Full RiverTown guide.
Shearwater
The newest build-out of the five, with the highest verified CDD range — trail-and-lazy-river amenities financed by the district. Current window: median $497,882 at $221/sqft, 44 days median market time, 40.5% of recorded sales new construction (n=158, through 2026-08-10). Full Shearwater guide.
Julington Creek Plantation
The established one: mature trees, a nearly built-out resale market, and the lowest CDD of the four that have one. Current window: median $520,000 at $221/sqft, 29 days median market time, 0.0% of recorded sales new construction (n=173, through 2026-08-26). Full JCP guide.
How to choose between them
If the priority is lowest recurring assessment, start with SilverLeaf’s no-CDD pitch and JCP’s lowest-of-the-four district figure — then verify both on an actual tax bill. If it is amenities now, Nocatee’s are built and Shearwater’s are newest; both are district-financed, which is exactly what the CDD line pays for. If it is water, RiverTown is the only one on the St. Johns River. If it is established streets and resale supply, JCP has decades on the others. Then put real numbers on it: the CDD carrying cost calculator and the St. Johns County property-tax estimator turn the matrix into a monthly payment.
Pairwise deep dives
Nocatee vs RiverTown · Nocatee vs Shearwater · Nocatee vs Julington Creek · Nocatee vs Beachwalk · Nocatee vs SilverLeaf vs RiverTown (3-way) · Every no-CDD community we track statewide
No quality scores, no "best for families" labels, no winner. Five communities, the recorded numbers for each, and the source for every dollar figure. Who each one is right for depends on your commute, your budget, and what you want to pay for — and the matrix hands you the numbers to decide that yourself.
Market figures are community-level MLS snapshot medians with sample size and window date shown in the matrix; they update with each data refresh. CDD assessments are transcribed from adopted district budgets on their linked source pages (JCP’s from a secondary source citing the official budget, pending direct verification). HOA dues are MLS-derived medians of active listings, labeled with period. General information, not advice; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.