Tallahassee, Florida

Downtown Tallahassee.

Map off Florida showing Tallahassee in the north.

Tallahassee, Florida is the capital city of the U.S. state of Florida and the seat of Leon County. It is located in the north and central part of the state. It became the capital of the state (then the Florida Territory) in 1824. In 2022, the population was 201,731, and its metropolitan area had 385,145 people. With a student population exceeding 70,000, Tallahassee is home to Florida State University, Florida A&M University, and Tallahassee Community College.

Tallahassee's terrain is hilly by Florida standards, with an elevation that varies from near sea level to just over 200 ft above sea level. The city includes two large lake basins, Lake Jackson and Lake Lafayette. Tallahassee also borders the northern end of the Apalachicola National Forest.

The flora and fauna are similar to those found in the mid-south and low country regions of South Carolina and Georgia. The palm trees are the more cold-hardy varieties like the state tree, the Sabal palmetto. Pines, magnolias, hickories, and a variety of oaks are the dominant trees. The Southern Live Oak is the most emblematic tree of the city.

The distribution of the population in 2020 was just under half white, just over 1/3 African American, and just under 10% Hispanic or Latino.

Law, government and politics

Tallahassee has traditionally been a Democratic city, but the party has been supported by different ethnic groups over time, with a major shift in the late 20th century. Leon County has voted Democratic in 24 of the past 29 presidential elections since 1904. But until the late 1960s, most African Americans were disenfranchised from the political system, dating from a new constitution and other laws passed by Democrats in Florida (and in all other Southern states) at the turn of the century. At that time, most African Americans were affiliated with the Republican Party, and their disenfranchisement resulted in that party being non-competitive in the region for decades. Subsequently, these demographic groups traded party alignments.

Since passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and enforcement of constitutional rights for African Americans, voters in Tallahassee have elected black mayors and black state representatives, and Tallahassee has become known for progressive activism. It votes predominantly Democratic.

Education

Public schools belonging to universities

• Florida State University School ("Florida High") (K–12)
• Florida A&M University Developmental Research School (K–12)

Florida State University

Florida State University (commonly referred to as Florida State or FSU) is an American public university. Florida State is on a 1,391.54-acre campus in Tallahassee. Founded in 1851, it is the oldest continuous site of higher education in the state of Florida. In 2022, U.S. News & World Report ranked Florida State as the 19th best public university in the United States.

Florida A&M University

Founded on October 3, 1887, Florida A&M University (commonly referred to as FAMU) is a public, historically black university and land-grant university that is part of the State University System of Florida and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Besides its main campus in Tallahassee, the university also has several satellite campuses, including a site in Orlando where its College of Law is located and sites in Miami, Jacksonville and Tampa for its pharmacy program.

Tallahassee Community College

Tallahassee Community College (TCC) is accredited by the Florida Department of Education and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The institution was founded in 1966 by the Florida Legislature. Besides offering bachelor-level degrees, many students transfer to Florida State University and Florida A&M University after two years of study. As of Fall 2015, TCC reported 38,017 students.

Economy

According to Tallahassee's 2021 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

#	Employer	# of Employees
1	State of Florida	26,042
2	Florida State University	15,011
3	Tallahassee Memorial Hospital	5,349
4	Leon County School Board	4,300
5	City of Tallahassee	2,856
6	Walmart	2,655
7	Publix	2,543
8	Florida A&M University	1,749
9	Leon County	1,744
10	Tallahassee Community College	1,475
11	Capital Regional Medical Center	1,095

Provenance

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