Nocatee vs SilverLeaf vs RiverTown.

The 30-second answer.

All three are top-tier St. Johns County master plans with the best schools in Florida, resort amenities, and golf-cart-friendly living. They draw the same buyers, but they solve for different priorities. If you want the most amenities and the shortest drive to the beach, that is Nocatee. If you want the lowest carrying cost and no CDD, that is SilverLeaf. If you want the river, with boating, docks, and waterfront amenities, that is RiverTown.

Side by side, 2026.

Nocatee, the benchmark.

Nocatee is the region's flagship, a roughly 15,000-home master plan in Ponte Vedra that has ranked among the top-selling communities in the country for over a decade. Its draw is the combination of the largest amenity scale in Northeast Florida, the splash water parks, the town center, the fitness and trail network, and the shortest drive to the beach of the three, east on the Nocatee Parkway.

The trade-offs are price and the CDD. Nocatee runs the highest of the three, with an average asking price in the mid $700,000s and homes reaching past $2 million, and like most communities its size it carries a CDD on the tax bill. For buyers who want the most amenities and proximity to Ponte Vedra and the coast, and who can absorb the price and the CDD, Nocatee is hard to beat. The full picture is in the Nocatee guide.

SilverLeaf, the value play.

SilverLeaf is the newer, more affordable answer, a roughly 11,000-acre master plan in the World Golf Village area entitled for up to about 17,600 homes, with more than 4,350 acres of conservation and around 50 miles of trails and cart paths. Its defining feature is what it does not have, a CDD. That alone can save a buyer thousands a year and tens of thousands over the life of a mortgage compared to a CDD community.

On top of that, SilverLeaf is genuinely affordable for St. Johns, with a 2026 median in the high $400,000s and homes starting lower, plus a maturing amenity package, a second amenity center opening in 2026, and SilverLeaf Commons retail anchored by a large new Publix. The trade-off is location, it sits inland to the west, further from the beach than Nocatee. For value-focused buyers who want top schools without the CDD, it is the standout. The detail is in the SilverLeaf guide.

RiverTown, the river.

RiverTown is the one built around water. A Mattamy Homes master plan of nearly 5,000 acres on the banks of the St. Johns River, its identity is the riverfront, the RiverHouse and RiverClub amenity centers, an infinity-edge pool overlooking the river, a lazy river, an amphitheater, a waterfront boardwalk, and a kayak launch. Its RiverSide neighborhood offers custom estate homes with river views and private docks, which neither Nocatee nor SilverLeaf can match.

RiverTown carries a CDD like Nocatee, and it sits inland to the west, so the beach is a longer drive. Pricing lands between the other two, with an average asking price around $600,000, and the community is adding a WaterSong 55+ section. For buyers who want the river, boating, and resort amenities at a price below Nocatee, RiverTown is the pick. The full guide is here.

So which one is for you?

Choose Nocatee if you want the most amenities in the region and the shortest drive to Ponte Vedra and the beach, and the higher price and CDD fit your budget.

Choose SilverLeaf if you want the lowest carrying cost, no CDD, and strong value in the top school district, and you are comfortable being further inland.

Choose RiverTown if you want the St. Johns River, boating and docks, and riverfront amenities, at a price below Nocatee.

How representation works at all three.

All three are actively selling new homes, and the rule is the same at each. The sales rep at the model works for the builder, not for you. A buyer's agent represents you on price, incentives, the lot premium, the upgrade list, and the contract. Under the current rules, you and your agent sign a written buyer agreement that sets a negotiable compensation, and the builder often offers to cover some or all of it.

The one rule that matters is timing, since most builders will not let you add representation if you register on your own first, so bring your agent in before your first sales-center visit. Momentum represents buyers at every builder in all three communities. Call (904) 351-6461 or reach us at jon@movewithmomentum.com.

Explore the full guides.

The three communities: Nocatee · SilverLeaf · RiverTown

Related guides: St. Johns Master-Planned Communities · No-CDD Communities · Shearwater · Durbin Crossing · All Neighborhood Guides