Tallahassee gets a bad rap, but there’s a lot to love about the capital of Florida! It’s a panhandle city, so you won’t be getting the same kind of swampy heat in southern Florida. And given its proximity to Georgia, you also get some hills (if you’re from a mountainous city, you’ve got to adjust your expectations, pronto). Locals enjoy Tallahassee because there are so many outdoor activities to enjoy while also benefiting from living in a big city. You can explore the state parks, take easy day trips to South Georgia, go for a float down Bear Paw, or take an awesome hike! If you’re at FSU, consider joining the Outdoor Pursuits group as well to see some nature and make some new friends at the same time. 

Although it’s the capital, Tallahassee isn’t as big as Miami, Daytona, or many other big cities in Florida. This means that when it grows, the city feels like when you try on your pre-pandemic jeans– a little too snug. The city is trying hard to expand well, which means not sacrificing the city just for the sake of growth. The intent is to grow responsibly without endangering the surrounding forest and protected lands. This means that we’re seeing compact growth in the city and, on top of a huge influx of tourists and out-of-towners for the FSU home games, it can make this very reasonably sized city seem crowded.




It’s not *too* Florida

LookyLOO Review of Tallahassee

Tallahassee is a true college town at its core. With three colleges in the city, including Florida State University, there is always something going on. The biggest draw towards campus, yearly, is going to be college football. With one of the most competitive programs in the US, FSU brings in almost 50 million in direct spending during the six home games every year. Despite also being the capital of Florida, FSU is the heart of the city. This also means that the median age is younger than you’d see in most of Florida. At just 34 years old, being the median age, it defied the FL standard, which is widely associated with retirement and snowbirds. Standard to most college towns is also going to be the affordable cost of living. Everything you need to do is within a 10-mile radius, and everything you need to buy is going to be way cheaper than larger cities like Miami and Daytona.

If you want to see what happens in Tallahassee throughout the year, check out the [**calendar of events**](https://www.eventbrite.com/d/fl--tallahassee/events/). 

We highly recommend visiting Tallahassee and staying in the community in a [VRBO](https://vrbo.com/affiliate/p4JS4ZC) rather than a hotel to get a feel for what it's like to live among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our [partnership with Expedia](expedia.com/affiliate/9NZ8LBQ) as well.

Lifestyle 

Put a huge college town in the same space as the capital of Florida, and what do you get? Top employers in education and government. 

This is a city of college kids, young professionals who love the city too much to leave, and families who enjoy the variety of activities and low cost of living. There are several large companies based in Tallahassee, and the top employers are the State of Florida, FSU, and Leon County School Board. The city also has a huge retail industry that supports the campus and students year-round. Although you might not have a hard time finding a job in Tallahassee, be aware that if you’re moving from a larger city and finding a job locally, you might be making significantly less than you’re used to. Local young professionals suggest keeping that remote Silicon Valley money and living big in the city if you can.

Worklife 

It’s no secret that people are abandoning large tech cities in favor of a more relaxed lifestyle. States like Florida and Texas are receiving an influx of residents seeing if they can find a more affordable city without the stuffy atmosphere of other areas (*cough* Bay area *cough). Tallahassee will be much more easy to adjust to than other smaller cities and if you’re moving from California or New York, it’ll be much less of an environmental shock than its other FL city counterparts. 

Relax

Why You Should Move Here Now?

**chelle618**
2y ago
🦉🦉🦉

I do live in Tallahassee. It depends on what you're looking for out of a city. Do you want bumping night life and constant events, a big city feel? Probably not for you. It's a Southern town, things move slow. It feels like a smaller town than it is. If you aren't a college student or prepared to deal with them all the time-it can be harder to find events that cater to people over like 25, but they do exist. I have found an excellent community of like-minded people here. I enjoy that it's a very green city with trees and parks every where. Comfortable driving distance to Gulf Coast beaches and many state parks. Different strokes.

For more reviews of what living in Tallahassee is like from locals, check out [**The Reviews**](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/tallahassee/reviews)

 It’s getting a touch crowded

Reviews of Tallahassee from Locals

Being a college town, there are a ton of areas that boast an active nightlife alongside other amenities like grocery stores, parks, and more. Check out these neighborhoods if you’re looking for decent walkability and a ton of nightlife!
- Chapel Ridge
- Campus Circle
- College Town


College Students

Chapel Ridge

For young professionals moving to Tallahassee, think about living closer to work. The city isn’t that walkable, and you’ll want to avoid a long commute to have more time at home or out for happy hour. 
- Midtown
- Levy Park
- All Saints


Young Professionals

Midtown

Tallahassee is a great place for young families who need a lot of activities and a lot of places to get outside. For active people looking to start a family, you’re going to love living close to parks and being within a quick drive to grocery stores and other necessities.
- Liberty Park
- Woodland Drives
- Lafayette Park
- Los Robles


Young Families

Liberty Park

There’s nothing better than a college town for an older family. You can tailgate during football season and host outdoor BBQs in your yard big enough for the whole neighborhood. Tallahassee is also close enough to South Georgia and other national parks for weekend hikes and camping!
- Lakeshore
- Betton Hills
- Killearn Lakes


Established Families

Lakeshore

People who have recently said goodbye to the last of their kids to leave for college or work will love Tallahassee for the weather, easy access to the outdoors, and youthful energy. Check out midtown for great condo/apt options and also plenty of bars, restaurants and shopping within easy walking distance. 
- Midtown
- Levy Park
- Lafayette Park


Empty Nesters/Retirees

Tallahassee

**chelle618**
2y ago
🦉🦉🦉

I do live in Tallahassee. It depends on what you're looking for out of a city. Do you want bumping night life and constant events, a big city feel? Probably not for you. It's a Southern town, things move slow. It feels like a smaller town than it is. If you aren't a college student or prepared to deal with them all the time-it can be harder to find events that cater to people over like 25, but they do exist. I have found an excellent community of like-minded people here. I enjoy that it's a very green city with trees and parks every where. Comfortable driving distance to Gulf Coast beaches and many state parks. Different strokes.

**brattywhittles**
2y ago
🦉🦉🦉

I lived there for 13 years after college and while I wouldn't move back, I know a lot of people who are really happy there. It's definitely small town vibes, people are very into college football, and there's a layer of "good ole boy" types since it's the capital. There's an ebb and flow of students that make the fall and spring semesters feel congested in some parts of the city. It's very pretty, lots of hills, old oak trees, and nature is pretty accessible if you like to hike or swim in springs.

Due_Owl6319
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉

I grew up 1 hour from NYC, and it seems like most of what you value (not judging, I get it) is currently not on offer here. There are a handful of good restaurants here--Venezuelan, Ethiopian, Thai, Phillipino, Korean, and generally good seafood spots. If you like Italian (the authentic stuff you can get in Boston), you are sol. Even Tampa (my family has been there for 30 years) may not be up to your standards, but it would be more of a match for you. No one else mentioned that it is very easy to travel to some lovely Carribean islands with awesome food, culture, and history (St. Martin, Curacao. St. Barths, etc.) and many countries in South America. I'm quite a bit older than you, and my priorities changed. I have to travel abroad for some of those things that you value. On the plus side, this is a beautiful part of Florida, and most people are very friendly. You'll be able to sock away some cash due to the low col. Tallahassee is slowly improving, but you might not be here long enough to experience it. You are very young and might have a blast on the dating market if you are single. There are a lot of attractive people here in your age range and younger.

**apollymi**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉

I'm originally from Georgia. I lived in Tallahassee from 2005 to 2013, moved to Atlanta until 2020, and I've been here ever since (barring a few long weekends back in Atlanta when I can't stand not having access to good food and shopping).

You're going to find it an inexpensive place to live with plenty of nature and good places to hike. St. Marks trails is close. The beach is within a 2 hour drive; St. George Island is a frequently recommended location and rarely too busy. Tom Brown Park is excellent, especially if you have pets. Maclay Gardens are gorgeous, though I would recommend a somewhat cooler time of year; bear in mind that you do have to pay to enter it, unlike Tom Brown. I haven't been myself, but I'm told Goodwood Museum and Mission San Luis are intriguing. I don't think I would bother with the Tallahassee Auto Museum, though.

Forget about luxury shopping. That's not here. You're going to want to go Atlanta, Miami, Tampa, or maybe Jacksonville for that. The best you'll find here is a Macy's.

There are ethnic food locations in town that are... good. Not great, but good enough.
For Greek, I would recommend Little Athens. For Indian, Mayuri is good; I would not call it an authentic spice-level restaurant, if that is a thing that matters to you. Mexican, I would recommend San Miguel or La Tiendita; I've not had an order messed up at either of them. Saladorean, I had good luck with El Viroleno. Deja Vu Venezuelan food truck hasn't done me wrong yet. UR Bowl is a decent build-your-bowl ramen shop that lets you do a lot for making your own ramen. If you want good doughnuts that aren't a chain, I'd recommend Donut Kingdom: there are a few locations around town.

Tallahassee, Florida

Stop Calling It Talla-nasty!

Looklyloo Score: 83