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ARTICLE: Tallahassee In-Depth

Originally founded as a Spanish mission, Tallahassee, Florida quickly grew to become the state's capital by the 19th century. Tallahassee proper boasts over 150,000 residents, although the greater metropolitan area (which includes Gadsen County, Jefferson County, Leon County, and Wakulla County) is closer to a quarter million. Even today, city planners are focused on how to sustain the rapidly growing population. With two airports, a mass transit system, a railroad line, and several major highways, Tallahassee receives a tremendous amount of traffic on a regular basis, especially from daily commuters who live outside city limits.

The Tallahassee, FL municipal government is the largest employer in the region, although the city has a thriving trade industry that contributes substantially to the overall economy. Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare is the largest private employer, followed closely by Alltel, Inc. The fastest-growing business sectors are telecommunications, trade associations, and information technology.

Tallahassee is a relatively young city (the median age of its residents is 26), and a well-educated one, with almost half of all city residents possessing a bachelor's degree or higher (compared to 22% of residents statewide). The median income was just below $20,000 in 1999.

Tallahassee is also quite active. The annual Greek food festival, Winter Festival, and Southern Shakespeare Festival provide entertainment to local residents. Tallahassee, FL is also an environmentally friendly city, earning such accolades as Tree City USA and Tree-Line USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation.

Sources:

• City Data, Tallahassee, FL
• Tallahassee Economic Development Council
• Quickfacts.gov, Tallahassee, Florida

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