Cities and towns across the US are collectively facing over $1 trillion in deferred infrastructure maintenance. A staggering deficit that is largely attributable to the legacy of suburban development patterns, which require road and sewer networks at enormous scale but produce comparatively low property values from which to tax. A taxable value per acre analysis can serve as a financial productivity measure for a municipality’s development pattern and capture a city's return on investment for public works. Jacksonville, FL has enjoyed robust job and population growth over the last several decades, but constantly struggles to appropriately cover the cost of basic maintenance for roads, parks and schools. This taxable value per acre analysis demonstrates the inefficiency of extensive suburban development for the city and highlights the opportunities present in traditional neighborhood typologies that have long been neglected. If properly planned, a return of focus to the core principles of the traditional development pattern can offer a path to much greater financial return on investment for the long-term maintenance of critical public infrastructure while also making Jacksonville a great place to live.