Tallahassee today
What this means
Tallahassee 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
| Tallahassee | vs Leon County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 204,902 (2025 estimate) | ||
| Growth since 2020 | 4.4% | +2.1 pts | -4.5 pts |
| Median home value | $294,400 | 2% lower | 18% lower |
| Median gross rent | $1,293 | about the same | 23% lower |
| Median household income | $57,409 | 13% lower | 23% lower |
| Owner occupied homes | 40.6% | -12.0 pts | -27.0 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 11.7% | -3.1 pts | -9.6 pts |
| Average commute (minutes) | 19 | 9% lower | 32% lower |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 12.9% | +0.6 pts | -1.3 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $2,540 | 6% higher | 7% lower |
Census survey figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; methods.
Living in Tallahassee
State capital and Leon County seat in the Big Bend, territorial capital since 1824.
Tallahassee is a city with its own government, located in Leon County.
Known for: Florida State Capitol; Florida State University; Florida A&M University; National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
Development and roads: Interstate 10 crosses the north side; an urban service area has kept growth compact.
Against the Leon County averages, fewer homes are owner occupied (40.6% vs 52.6%); more of the housing is in apartment and condo buildings (36.1% vs 26.4%); household incomes are lower ($57,409 vs $66,287) and the population is younger (11.7% age 65 or older vs 14.8%).
Closest matches on price and rent: Daytona Beach ($287,700, $1,328), Haines City ($288,900, $1,224), Pensacola ($314,400, $1,322).
Growth and housing
The Census estimates 204,902 residents in 2025, up from 196,182 in 2020: 4.4% growth.
| 2025 building permits | Tallahassee |
|---|---|
| Single family | 468 |
| 5 or more units | 1,384 |
| Total units | 1,898 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 9.3 |
Half the homes are older than 1988. Apartments and condos make up a large share: 36.1% of homes are in buildings of five or more units. Average household size is 2.16.
3.7% of residents moved in from another state in the past year (county 2.9%).
Risks to price in
| Risk item | Detail |
|---|---|
| County average homeowners insurance with wind | $2,538 a year |
Insurers will want a four point inspection on most older homes here (37% predate 1980). Inspections
21.4% of homes are in buildings of 20 or more units; condo reserves and inspections decide financing. Condo financing
Flood, storms and jobs
Flood premiums in Tallahassee get a 25% discount in high risk zones because the city holds CRS class 5. Since 2000, flood insurance has paid $4,818,323 on 352 claims inside Tallahassee. The Leon County guide covers storms, flood claims and employers; 3.1% of county homes are in high risk flood zones.
Buying a home in Tallahassee
| 2026 loan limits (county) | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA, one unit | $541,287 |
| Conforming, one unit | $832,750 |
| Median home value here | $294,400 |
Homes cost 5.1 times median household income here (Leon County 4.5, Florida 4.8).
- Conventional: the default for buyers with solid credit and 5% or more down.
- FHA: works for the typical $294,400 home here.
Investing in Tallahassee
Long term rentals
| Tallahassee | vs Leon County | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 59.4% | +12.0 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 5.9% | +0.2 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 36.5% | +1.4 pts |
Short term rentals
Vacation home share is below the county (1% vs 1.1%), so nightly demand here is thinner.
| Short term rental taxes | Rate |
|---|---|
| County tourist development tax | 5% |
| State sales tax | 6% plus any county surtax |
Check the address against local zoning and the HOA documents first. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 39.3% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 36.1% |
| Manufactured homes | 1.8% |
Nearby
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.
- Wikipedia article for this place (history, setting, roads). 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.