Jacksonville is one of Florida's busiest ports. Shipbuilding and ship repair are also important industries. The U.S. Navy operates the Mayport Naval Base and two naval air stations in the city. Two railroads and about 100 trucking firms provide freight service to the city. Jacksonville has about 700 factories that employ about 30,000 people.
Food processing is the chief industry.
Other important industries include printing and publishing and the manufacture of chemicals, fabricated metal products, heavy machinery parts, paints, paper and pulp products, and plastics. The city has one daily newspaper, The Florida Times-Union. More than 100,000 students attend about 145 public elementary and high schools in Jacksonville. About 20,000 students attend the city's 75 private and church-supported schools. A seven-member Board of Education runs the public school system.