No portrait of Tallahassee would be complete without mention of our unmatched quality of life.  With great weather and attractive terrain, Tallahassee is just a short drive to some of the world's most beautiful beaches. 

Weather...

Tallahassee has the mild moist climate characteristic of the Gulf states, and experiences a subtropical summer similar to the rest of Florida. The average annual maximum temperature is 78 degrees.  However, in contrast to the Florida peninsula itself, the panhandle, of which Tallahassee is a part, experiences four seasons.  Prevailing winds average 6.5 miles per hour.  They are from a southerly direction in the spring and summer and then shift toward a more northerly direction near the end of the year. The average wettest month is July and the driest month October.

Location...

Tallahassee is 20 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico and 14 miles south of the Georgia state line.  The area is characterized by rolling terrain ranging from 65 to 210 feet.  The community prizes its canopy roads, moss-draped oaks and springtime profusion of dogwoods, azaleas, and wisteria.  Wildlife reserves, lakes and springs offer nature observation and hunting and fishing.

Population...

Tallahassee's population has grown 49% since 1980 and is expected to grow another 22% by 2010.  Between 1990 and 1996, the Tallahassee, metropolitan area has added more than 34,000 residents, surpassing the growth rate for most other Florida metropolitan areas. The population of Leon County is approximately 235,000.

Northeast Leon County absorbed most of the population increase and is expected to double between 1990 and the year 2020.  The same is projected for the Southeast quadrant over the 30 year period.

Over 70 percent of the population growth since 1990 is attributed to new residents moving into the community.  Aside from the natural increase in population due to births, net migration accounts for the majority of the increase in population in Leon County.  Net migration is the number of all the incoming residents minus residents that have left the area and have relocated outside Leon County.

The majority of those that migrate to Leon County are relatively young, affluent, well educated and skilled.  With a median age of 29, more than 50% of all residents are of prime working age between the ages of 18 and 44.

Work Force...

Tallahassee offers a work force advantage available in few other locations.  Combine 3,000 young, affluent, skilled newcomers relocating here annually with the thousands of graduates with advanced degrees leaving our universities and our educational facilities for retraining- the pool of available workers seems endless. 

Tallahassee's motivated and skilled labor is among the nation's best, with a high concentration of educated workers available for very reasonable wages.  Approximately 40% of the working age population holds a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to 18% at the state level and 20% at the national level.  While only 74% of Florida's labor pool graduated from high school, 85% of Leon County's workers have earned diplomas. The median household effective buying income is $31,000 for Tallahassee.

Tallahassee's employment base is largely comprised of government, educational institutions and professional service organizations.  The state government, including educational institutions, is the number of employers in Leon County with 57,800 employees on payroll.  The cost of doing business in Tallahassee is among the lowest in Florida.  Wage rates for most office, service and manufacturing occupations are below the state average. 

Education...

Education attainment levels in the Tallahassee area are well above those of many other Florida counties and even sate and national levels as well.  Leon County students continue to score higher than students statewide and nationally on both the verbal and math sections of the Scholastic Aptitude Test.  The SAT assesses verbal and mathematical reasoning skills and is reported on a point scale ranging from 200 to 800.

The school enrollment for Kindergarten through 12th grade is approximately 31,000 in Leon County.

The Leon County public schools are just the first part of a strong educational network.  For students seeking college degrees, we offer Florida A&M University, Florida State University, Tallahassee Community College and the Lively Technical Center, which have a combined enrollment of nearly 60,000 students. 

Technology...

Our abundant resources for research and high technology are an advantage for both business and education.  Tallahassee is home to the nation's premier research facility for magnet-related technologies - the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.  Combined with other well-established science and technology opportunities and research programs, the lab positions Tallahassee as the origin for many scientific discoveries and emerging technologies of the 21st century.