The Complete Tidewater Guide. (2026)

Executive Summary

Tidewater is a gated ICI Homes community on Jacksonville's Northside, set among towering oaks and water views, with larger single-family homes built in the 2020s.

Homes span about 2,500 to over 3,600 square feet with four and five bedrooms in Coastal, Farmhouse, and Craftsman styles, priced from about $599,000 up into the $800,000s. The gate, the amenities, and the natural setting are the draw.

The draw is newer gated living with resort amenities in a wooded Northside setting at a price below the comparable Southside and beaches communities. The trade-offs are HOA dues and a Northside location that is farther from the Town Center and beaches.

Quick Facts

Community Overview & History

A gated ICI Homes community

Tidewater was built by ICI Homes, a long-standing Florida builder, as a gated community on the Northside of Jacksonville. The setting is wooded, with oak hammocks and water views giving the community a natural, private feel.

Newer homes in a wooded setting

The homes are newer, built in the 2020s in timeless architectural styles, and the community was planned around its natural landscape and a resort amenity center.

The Homes

Tidewater is a single-builder gated community, so the variation is mostly in floor plan, home size, and whether a home backs to water or a preserve.

The single-family homes

Homes range from about 2,500 to over 3,600 square feet with four and five bedrooms, in Coastal, Farmhouse, and Craftsman styles from ICI Homes.

Water and preserve lots

Homes that back to water or a preserve carry a premium for the view and the privacy, at the top of the community's range.

Real Estate Market

Tidewater is a newer gated community. ICI Homes prices new homes here from about $599,000 up into the $800,000s depending on the floor plan, the lot, and the finishes, which places the community well above the Jacksonville citywide median while sitting below the comparable Southside and beaches gated communities.

For county context, the NEFAR April 2026 report put the Duval County median single-family price at about $332,500, a county-wide figure. As a gated community of larger newer homes, Tidewater sits well above that level.

Who Lives Here

Tidewater draws families, professionals, and move-up buyers who want a larger newer gated home in a wooded setting and value the price relative to the Southside and beaches. The larger homes bring a settled, family-driven mix.

Schools

Tidewater is served by Duval County Public Schools. In Duval the strongest schools are a mix of zoned neighborhood schools and application magnets, and middle and high assignments are not reliable from a community name alone. Confirm the current zoning for a specific address with the district locator at duvalschools.org before you buy. See the best schools in Duval County guide for the rankings and how zones affect prices.

Amenities & Lifestyle

Tidewater carries a resort-style amenity package, which is a large part of the appeal.

Pool and fitness center

The community has a swimming pool and a fitness center, giving residents recreation inside the gate.

Playgrounds and the natural setting

Family-friendly playgrounds and the oak-canopy, water-view landscape round out the community's appeal.

HOA, CDD & Costs

Tidewater carries a homeowners association with dues that fund the gate, the pool, the fitness center, and the amenities. Confirm the current dues and what they cover for a specific home in writing.

Insurance is the other cost to confirm. The homes are new, built in the 2020s, so roof age is not a factor, and the Northside location is inland. Confirm the flood zone and get quotes early for any specific home.

Commute Analysis

The Northside location favors the airport, the River City Marketplace, and the northern job centers over the beaches and the Town Center. Test your specific commute, since the Northside corridors and the bridges carry traffic at peak hours.

Shopping & Dining

Everyday shopping and dining sit at the River City Marketplace and along the Northside corridors, with the airport and the northern logistics and port employment centers a short drive away.

Pros and Cons

Tidewater vs. Comparable Communities

Hidden Things Buyers Should Know

Weigh the Northside location

Tidewater prices below comparable Southside and beaches gated homes partly because of the Northside location. Decide whether the value is worth the longer drive to the Town Center and beaches.

Confirm what is left to build

As a newer community, the mix of new construction and resale changes over time. Confirm what is available and what the builder still offers before you decide.

Momentum Expert Insight

Selling a Home in Tidewater

If you are thinking about selling in Tidewater, the right list price comes from the recent comparable sales in this specific community, not an automated estimate. Pricing to the home and the current Tidewater inventory is what earns the strongest offer in the fewest days on market.

Across the wider Jacksonville metro, Momentum's listings have run a 97.98 percent sold-to-list ratio and 64 days on market for our agents, against a market average closer to 96.73 percent and 72 days, year to date. A Tidewater listing specialist will give you a true home value from real comparable sales and a pricing strategy built for the current market. Start with a no-obligation home value request below.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Reading

If you are researching Tidewater, you are likely also weighing these other Northside communities and resources.