Leon County today
| Typical value | |
|---|---|
| Single family house | $302,000 |
| Condo or townhome | $178,000 |
What this means
Leon County gained 1.5% in value over 12 months, ahead of most of Florida.
A specific house can rent above or below these figures, so pull rental comps for the address. Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Leon County | Compared with Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, 2025 estimate | 299,048 | 1.3% of Florida |
| Growth since 2020 | 2.3% | -6.6 pts |
| Median home value | $301,800 | 16% lower |
| Median gross rent | $1,291 | 23% lower |
| Median household income | $66,287 | 11% lower |
| Owner occupied homes | 52.6% | -15.0 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 14.8% | -6.5 pts |
| Average commute | 21 min | 25% lower |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 12.3% | -1.9 pts |
| Housing units permitted in 2025 per 1,000 residents | 6.8 | 11% lower |
| Veterans, share of adults | 5.6% | -1.8 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $2,397 | 12% lower |
| Average homeowners insurance with wind | $2,538 |
Census figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; see sources and methods.
Living in Leon County
Three things set apart Leon County: more renters than most of Florida (47.4% of homes); short commutes (21 minutes on average); and few seasonal and vacation homes (1.1% of housing).
Panhandle county of rolling red hills, home to the state capital, Tallahassee. County seat: Tallahassee. Created in 1824.
Most people live in or around Tallahassee, Bradfordville and Woodville. Tallahassee alone has about 201,875 residents.
What anchors the area
- Colleges: Florida A&M University (Tallahassee); Florida State University (Tallahassee); Tallahassee State College (Tallahassee)
- Major teams: Florida State Seminoles (NCAA FBS, Tallahassee)
- Commercial airports: Tallahassee International Airport (TLH)
- Economy: state government; universities
- Known for: Florida State Capitol; Maclay Gardens State Park; Apalachicola National Forest; Mission San Luis
Only 14.8% of residents are 65 or older, younger than the state. Smaller households (2.27 people on average) favor smaller homes and condos. Most people work close to home (average commute 21 minutes).
Growth and where it is heading
From 292,205 residents in 2020 to 299,048 in 2025: that is 2.3%, compared with 8.9% statewide. In the latest year it gained 0.11%.
| 2025 building permits | Units |
|---|---|
| Single family | 617 |
| 2 to 4 units | 46 |
| 5 or more units | 1,384 |
| Total | 2,047 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 6.8 (close to Florida, 7.6) |
See the Panhandle and Big Bend investor guide for regional corridors.
Risks to price in
No direct landfalls here since 2000; inland wind and flood damage from passing storms is the main exposure.
Budget around $2,538 a year for a homeowners policy with wind; that is the county average reported to state regulators.
Older stock (33.4% built before 1980) means insurers will look hard at roofs, wiring and plumbing. Insurance and inspections
High rise exposure: 15.6% of housing is in large buildings, where reserves and assessments decide financing. Condo financing
Flood, storms and jobs
| Leon County | Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes in a FEMA high risk flood zone | 2,899 (3.1%) | 13.3% |
| Homes with federal flood insurance | 2,487 (2.7%) | 13.7% |
| Insured share inside high risk zones | 39.9% | |
| Flood insurance claims since 2000 | 566, $7,614,321 paid | |
| Costliest flood events for insured homes | Other or unnamed flooding ($3,053,863); Tropical Storm Fay ($2,411,638); Tropical Storm Allison ($1,838,562) | |
| Major federal disasters declared since 2000 | 19 (12 hurricane, 5 severe storm, 1 tropical storm) |
Flood insurance discount: the county (unincorporated areas) holds Community Rating System class 5, worth 25% off federal premiums in high risk zones (map dated 08/18/09).
Private employers in Leon County: 107,646 jobs (2023), led by health care and social assistance (19%), retail (15%), hotels and restaurants (14%). The visitor economy (hotels and restaurants) is 14% of private jobs, close to the Florida share.
Buying a home in Leon County
| 2026 loan limit, one unit | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA | $541,287 |
| Conforming (above this is jumbo) | $832,750 |
FHA works at the median price here. FHA limits
Price to income: 4.5x locally, 4.8x for Florida.
Loans made here in 2025
| Loan type | Loans | Share | Florida share | Average loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 3,530 | 75% | 72.2% | $264,025 |
| FHA | 790 | 16.8% | 17.8% | $250,215 |
| VA | 369 | 7.8% | 9.9% | $348,333 |
| USDA | 18 | 0.4% | 0.2% | $243,333 |
| Purpose | Share of 2025 loans |
|---|---|
| Home purchase | 59.4% |
| Cash out refinance | 15% |
| Rate and term refinance | 9.5% |
| Home improvement | 6.8% |
Lending volume grew 6% versus 2024, when lenders made 4,439 loans.
Loans that fit the local numbers
- Conventional: used for 75% of loans; mortgage insurance comes off later.
- FHA: the $541,287 limit covers the typical $301,800 home.
Down payment help and taxes
Assistance with cash to close is offered statewide by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Current owners pay a median $2,397 a year in property tax; plan on more after a sale resets the value. Homestead and tax caps
Investing in Leon County
DSCR loans often price above this rate. Method. DSCR loans
Run your own numbers
Long term rentals
| Leon County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 47.4% | +15.0 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 35.1% | -0.1 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 5.7% | -1.9 pts |
Short term rentals
| Item | Here |
|---|---|
| County tourist tax | 5% |
| Plus state sales tax | 6% (plus any county surtax) |
| Homes held for seasonal use | 1.1% (-6.7 pts vs Florida) |
| Commercial airport | Tallahassee International Airport (TLH) |
A home only works as a vacation rental if zoning and the HOA both allow it. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 48.7% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 26.4% |
| Manufactured homes | 6.9% |
| 2025 loans on 2 to 4 unit properties | 2.38% |
Largest cities and towns in Leon County
Among places with at least 1,000 residents, Bradfordville has the highest median value ($383,300) and Woodville the lowest ($164,800); Woodville shows the best rent to price ratio (7.44% gross).
| Place | Population | Median value | Median rent | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tallahassee | 201,875 | $294,400 | $1,293 | $57,409 |
| Bradfordville | 18,953 | $383,300 | $1,881 | $133,359 |
| Woodville | 3,722 | $164,800 | $1,022 | $53,772 |
| Fort Braden | 917 | $164,000 | $1,034 | $80,272 |
| Chaires | 588 | $361,500 | Not reported | $167,569 |
| Miccosukee | 478 | $376,300 | Not reported | $128,681 |
| Capitola | 375 | $114,900 | $625 | $34,430 |
Census places, including unincorporated communities. Linked places have their own guide.
Compare with neighboring counties
Leon County has the highest home values in its group; 4 of its 4 neighbors are cheaper by median value.
| County | Median value | Median rent | Growth since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leon County | $301,800 | $1,291 | 2.3% |
| Gadsden County | $174,900 | $851 | 1.1% |
| Jefferson County | $232,600 | $898 | 10.3% |
| Liberty County | $127,300 | $943 | 0.7% |
| Wakulla County | $258,300 | $1,108 | 12.8% |
Other Florida markets
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5 year estimates. 2020 to 2024.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates, Vintage 2025. July 1, 2025.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025 annual. 2025.
- FFIEC HMDA Data Browser, originated loans. 2025 and 2024.
- LendingTree: 2026 FHA loan limits in Florida by county (HUD figures). 2026.
- Florida Realtors: FHFA sets 2026 conforming loan limits. 2026.
- Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research: 2026 local option tourist tax rates. 2026.
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, July 2026 Insurance Stability Unit report (average homeowners premium with wind, as of March 31, 2026). March 31, 2026.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey. week of October 22, 2026.
- Wikipedia: List of counties in Florida. checked October 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file. 2024.
- Wikipedia county article and statewide lists (colleges, teams, airports); Florida Defense Support Task Force installation map. checked October 2026.
- Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), all homes, middle tier, smoothed and seasonally adjusted. September 2026.
- Federal Housing Finance Agency House Price Index (county annual, metro and state quarterly, all transactions). through Q2 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, January to September 2026 and 2025. September 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Residential Penetration Rates. as of August 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims (2000 to 2026). as of September 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book (Community Rating System class). August 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, Disaster Declarations Summaries (2000 to 2026). October 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023. 2023.
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020 to 2024, median gross rent by bedrooms (B25031). 2020 to 2024.
- Hurricane landfalls: Wikipedia, List of Florida hurricanes (2000 to present). checked October 2026.
Estimates from public data; they change over time. General information, not investment, tax or legal advice, and not a loan offer. Methods and assumptions.