Community Information

Tallahassee is located in the central northwest panhandle region of Florida, 30 minutes north of the Gulf of Mexico and 30 minutes south of Thomasville Georgia. Tallahassee is home to beautiful rolling hills, spreading live oaks dripping with Spanish moss, camellias, magnolias, dogwoods and azaleas, beautiful gardens and large lakes, and protected old canopy roads dug into the earth from centuries of use.

The main industry of Tallahassee since founding has been state government - we are the state capitol! Today though, education is a rapidly growing anchor to the local economy, especially since the no-growth era of state government started in the mid 90's. Agriculture is strong in north Florida, especially tree farms, tomatoes, soybeans, cotton, peanuts, hay, watermelons and livestock, mainly cattle, as well. The best shrimp, oysters, grouper, snapper and scallops you will ever eat come from local waters and aquaculture catfish and clams is a growth industry. The Medical community is just as robust with both major hospitals being rebuilt or renovated, many specialty clinics and treatment facilities and the new FSU School of Medicine, along the first new medical school in the USA in over 50 years! Growing rapidly as well is the high tech business arena due in part to the National High Field Magnetic Laboratory being located here. It's the largest in the world out of only 13 such labs.

The retail sector is very solid as Tallahassee actually services over 1.2 million people from 100 miles around. For shopping, entertainment and business, Tallahassee is the area hub, as it has been since the time of the Indians.

Tallahassee is in the center of the eight-county "Big Bend" area. The Gulf of Mexico is just twenty miles to the south. Georgia is just fourteen miles north. Popular beaches, St. George Island, Cape San Blas and Mexico beach are annually ranked in the Top 10 Beaches list and are within a couple of hours or less.

The climate for Tallahassee is mild and moist. Unlike the rest of Florida's subtropical year-round climate, Tallahassee, along with most of the panhandle area, has a four-season climate. The weather in Tallahassee is temperate with an average low temperature of 55.7 degrees F.

The average high temperature is 78.7 degrees F. Tallahassee's average annual rainfall is 64.59 inches per year. Tallahassee's average elevation is 55 feet above sea level.

The population of Tallahassee is approximately 148,400 (in 2000 census). The population of Leon County is 239,452(in 2000 census). Tallahassee grew by 24 % since 1990, yet has kept much of its small town feel.

Tallahassee is home to three large colleges: Florida A&M University, and Florida State University and Tallahassee Community College. Downtown Tallahassee consists of a mixture of state government buildings, historic old homes, and a growing combination of renovated historic buildings converted into banks, offices, restaurants and boutiques.