Tallahassee is the Capitol of Florida and home to Florida State University (FSU) and Florida A & M University.
Tallahassee’s rolling hills, seasonal climate, and giant oak trees, creates a different feel for Florida than the southern part of the state. Located in the panhandle of Florida in Leon County, Tallahassee is only 30 miles to the Gulf of Mexico’s beaches and 20 miles south of the Georgia border.
Tallahassee Government
As the capital of Florida, Tallahassee is home to Florida’s Legislature. Legislature is in session every March and April creating Tallahassee’s busiest months. The newest Capitol building’s 22 floors sit directly behind the historic Old Capitol built in 1845. On each side of the Capitol building is the House of Representative and the Senate.
Interesting Things To Do In Tallahassee
Visiting the Florida historic capitol building built in 1845 gives you a quick history of the state and its governors. The area north of Tallahassee has the largest concentration of original plantations with Southern style plantation homes and restaurants. Just drive north towards Thomasville, Georgia for a self guided tour.
If you enjoy the outdoors, the surrounding area has many lakes, sinkholes, springs, beaches, hiking and biking trails. Wakulla Springs is a 30 minute drive south of Tallahassee and has one of the world’s largest and deepest freshwater springs. This is also the location of the first Tarzan movies. You can also head to the Gulf of Mexico to enjoy some amazing beaches. St. George Island is a laid back barrier island with 25 miles of beautiful white sandy beach.
Tallahassee Economy
Government is the main focus of Tallahassee’s economy along with education and technology. Florida State University and Florida A & M University are both located in the state’s capital creating a large number of college degreed working adults. More than 45% of adults ages 25 or older have four year degrees or higher compared to the state average of 22%.
The largest employer in Tallahassee is the State of Florida with 25,000 plus employees. Florida State University follows with more than 8,700 employees.
Tallahassee Population
In 2003, the estimated population for Tallahassee was 153,938 according to the US Census. (The total Florida population was 17 million.)
Tallahassee Businesses
Tallahassee’s is attracting many companies focused on life sciences, information technology, manufacturing, and research.
In 1982, the Innovation Park was built in Tallahassee which is a research and development center with 208 acres of woods and rolling hills. The mission was to build a facility where universities, private businesses and government resources can come together to for scientific research and development.
The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory is located at the Innovation Park with more than 900 scientists and engineers that conduct research at the laboratory ranging from physics to bioengineering. Scientists and technologists from around the world visit this innovative facility.
General Dynamics Land Systems is a major private manufacturing employer of military applications in Tallahassee. Figg Engineering Group is a specialized bridge engineering company based in Tallahassee.
Tallahassee Jobs and Careers
The unemployment rate in 2007 for Tallahassee and Leon County is estimated at 2.5%, lower the state and national average. The state of Florida came in at 3.3% and the national average is 4.4%.
According to the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation, as of March 2007, Florida recorded 55 consecutive months of job growth. Florida also ranked third in the country for job growth amongst the ten most populated states (behind Texas and California.)
Florida will continue to see professional job growth in the computer technology and information, educational services, employment services, engineering, health and medical and legal sectors.
Leon County School District
The school district in Tallahassee and surrounding area of Leon County has received an “A” for four years in a row from the Florida State School District. The Leon County school district has 24 elementary schools, 8 middle schools, 6 high schools, 8 alternative schools, and 2 charter schools.
Leon County students score higher than students statewide and nationwide on Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT.) Close to 90% of adults have graduated from high school, approximately 10% higher than the state average. An average of 84% of Leon County students pursue post-secondary education.
Tallahassee Real Estate Market
The average home in Tallahassee is selling for $203,500. There are a variety of real estate options in Tallahassee from single family home and luxury homes to condos and apartments. You can easily research homes and condos for sale online. If you are interested in selling your home, you should contact a Tallahassee based realtor who can walk you through scenarios on selling in a buyer’s market. Pricing your home is based on many factors. You’ll need to determine if time or money is more important.
Tallahassee Weather
Tallahassee does experience distinct seasonal changes throughout the year. The summer months have reached above 100 degrees which is not typical for Florida. The average high in the summer is 92 degrees and rain showers do occur from storms off the Gulf of Mexico. The coolest months in Tallahassee are December and January with an average high temperature of 64 degrees and an average low temperature of 42 degrees.