Tallahassee Metropolitan Area

Leon County at the center, with Gadsden, Wakulla and Jefferson around it: the four-county Tallahassee metro in Census numbers.

Short answer: The Tallahassee metropolitan statistical area is four counties: Leon, Gadsden, Jefferson and Wakulla. The Census Bureau's ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates count 391,730 people in the metro. Leon County holds about three in four of them (297,542), and the City of Tallahassee 201,875. Gadsden has 43,710, Wakulla 35,387 and Jefferson 15,091, and the four county counts add up exactly to the metro total.

Last verified: October 18, 2026, against the sources listed at the end of this page.

Which counties make up the Tallahassee metropolitan area?

The Tallahassee metropolitan area is four counties: Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon and Wakulla.

That is the list the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics prints under Tallahassee, FL in its May 2025 metropolitan area definitions. Leon County is the core and the county seat is Tallahassee, according to Leon County. Gadsden County keeps its county offices on East Jefferson Street in Quincy, Wakulla County on Crawfordville Highway in Crawfordville, and Jefferson County, which calls itself the Keystone County, established in 1827, points visitors to the canopy roads of Monticello.

The grouping is a statistical one, with no metro government above the four counties. Leon County alone has a seven-member Board of County Commissioners, five elected from single districts and two at large, and has been governed by a Home Rule Charter since November 12, 2002, according to its county profile. The same page says Tallahassee, Florida's capital, was established in 1824, three years before Jefferson County.

How many people live in the Tallahassee metro?

The Census Bureau's ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates count 391,730 people in the Tallahassee metro area.

The Tallahassee metro demographic profile gives that total, and the metro social profile counts 157,965 households averaging 2.31 people. The metro housing profile counts 178,422 housing units.

The four Tallahassee metro counties, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (U.S. Census Bureau tables DP05, DP03 and DP04, linked in each row)
AreaPopulationMedian ageMedian household incomeMean commute (minutes)Median owner home value
Tallahassee metro area391,73034.8$65,26123.2$276,000
Leon County297,54232.0$66,28721.1$301,800
Gadsden County43,71042.4$48,80130.3$174,900
Wakulla County35,38742.3$81,89532.3$258,300
Jefferson County15,09147.6$61,21229.4$232,600

Leon County carries most of that weight. Its county profile shows 297,542 residents, so about three of every four metro residents live in Leon, and the City of Tallahassee profile accounts for 201,875 of them. Because all five figures come from the same 5-year release, the four county counts add up exactly to the 391,730 metro total.

Leon County's own statistics panel lists a population of 299,130, with 33% unincorporated and 67% within city limits, and an area of 702 square miles. That county figure does not match the ACS estimate, because it comes from a different source and date; the county page does not name its source.

How do Gadsden, Wakulla and Jefferson differ from Leon County?

Gadsden, Wakulla and Jefferson are older than Leon County, and the four Tallahassee metro counties split sharply on income.

Age is the first split. The ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates give Leon County a median age of 32.0 and the City of Tallahassee 28.2, figures pulled down by the universities, while Gadsden sits at 42.4 and Wakulla at 42.3, just under the Florida median of 42.6 (Florida profile), and Jefferson is well above it at 47.6 (Jefferson profile).

Income splits in a less obvious direction. Wakulla County has the highest median household income of the four at $81,895 and a poverty rate of 6.7%. Leon County's median household income is $66,287 (Leon profile). Gadsden County sits at $48,801 with a poverty rate of 27.9%, and its median home value of $174,900 is about half the Florida figure of $359,000 (Florida housing profile). Jefferson's median household income is $61,212.

Commutes tell the rest. Mean travel time to work is 21.1 minutes in Leon County but 30.3 minutes in Gadsden, 29.4 in Jefferson and 32.3 in Wakulla, the longest of the four. Home values follow a similar gradient: $301,800 in Leon County, $258,300 in Wakulla, $232,600 in Jefferson and $174,900 in Gadsden.

Why is the Tallahassee metro younger and more educated than Florida?

The Tallahassee metro is younger and more educated than Florida because two state universities and a state college sit in Leon County.

Florida State University reports 46,184 students enrolled in fall 2025, with 80% of all students Floridians. Florida A&M University enrolls nearly 10,000 students from across the United States and more than 70 countries. College students living away from home are counted where they are living, not at their parents' home, under the Census Bureau residence rule, so students living in Leon County count there.

The effect shows up in every Leon County number. The Leon County social profile shows 48.9% of adults 25 and over with a bachelor's degree or higher, against 41.4% across the whole metro and 34.1% for Florida. The metro's median age of 34.8 is nearly eight years below the state's 42.6. In the metro, 19.6% of residents age 1 and over lived in a different house a year earlier, and in Leon County 22.0%, against 13.7% statewide.

The outer counties look different: 21.3% of Gadsden adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher (Gadsden social profile), 23.3% in Wakulla and 19.2% in Jefferson. Leon County's own statistics panel gives a median age of 27, lower than the ACS figure of 32.0; the county page does not say which data release it uses.

What land and water tie the four Tallahassee metro counties together?

Much of the Tallahassee metro is public forest and refuge land that crosses county lines.

Lake Talquin State Forest covers 20,577 acres in Gadsden, Leon and Liberty counties, and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services says it lies just west of Tallahassee in 10 main tracts, with most of the forest adjoining the Ochlockonee River and Lake Talquin, the body of water that gives the forest its name. The Florida Forest Service has managed it since 1977.

To the south and east, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge encompasses more than 86,000 acres spread between Wakulla, Jefferson and Taylor counties, with about 43 miles along the Gulf Coast, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The refuge was established in 1931 to provide wintering habitat for migratory birds and is home to the St. Marks Lighthouse, whose current tower was built in 1842.

Jefferson County leans on its rural landscape too. Its county website lists canopy roads, the 1890 Opera House, the Monticello Historic District, paddling and the Watermelon Festival among its draws.

How is the Tallahassee metro area defined, and how current are the numbers?

The federal Office of Management and Budget draws the Tallahassee metro lines, not Tallahassee or Leon County.

For Tallahassee as for every metro, the U.S. Census Bureau explains that a metropolitan statistical area is a core area containing a substantial population nucleus, together with adjacent communities having a high degree of economic and social integration with that core, and that each must have at least one urban area of 50,000 or more inhabitants. Central counties are identified by their urban population, and outlying counties are included if they meet specified requirements of commuting to or from the central counties. The standards were last modified in 2021.

The figures on this page come from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates for the metro, the four counties, the City of Tallahassee and Florida. The Tallahassee-Leon County Office of Economic Vitality, at 315 South Calhoun Street, keeps its own data center with information about the MSA for local and incoming businesses.

Last verified: October 18, 2026, by re-pulling the ACS 2020-2024 5-year profiles for the Tallahassee metro area, its four counties, the city and the state, and re-reading the BLS area definitions, the Census metro standards page, the four county websites, FDACS and the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Frequently asked questions

Is Tallahassee's metro area the same as Leon County?

No. Leon County is the core, with 297,542 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, but the federal Tallahassee metro also includes Gadsden, Jefferson and Wakulla counties, bringing the total to 391,730.

Which Tallahassee metro county has the highest household income?

Wakulla County. The ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates give Wakulla a median household income of $81,895, above Leon County's $66,287, Jefferson's $61,212 and Gadsden's $48,801.

Which county in the Tallahassee metro is the least populated?

Jefferson County, with 15,091 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates and the oldest median age of the four at 47.6.

Why is the median age in Leon County so low?

Florida State University reports 46,184 students in fall 2025, and FAMU enrolls nearly 10,000 more. Students are counted where they live, and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put Leon County's median age at 32.0 and the city's at 28.2.

Who decides which counties are in the Tallahassee metro?

The federal Office of Management and Budget, using standards applied to Census Bureau data. Outlying counties join a metro when they meet commuting requirements to or from the central county, which for the Tallahassee area is Leon County.

Sources

  1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Definitions https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/msa_def.htm Used for: Tallahassee, FL MSA counties
  2. Leon County, About Leon County https://cms.leoncountyfl.gov/Government/County-Commission/About-Leon-County Used for: county statistics, unincorporated share, charter, commission structure
  3. Gadsden County, Florida, official website https://www.gadsdencountyfl.gov/ Used for: county office address in Quincy
  4. Wakulla County, Florida, official website https://www.mywakulla.com/ Used for: county office address in Crawfordville
  5. Jefferson County, Florida, official website https://www.jeffersoncountyfl.gov/ Used for: Keystone County, established 1827, Monticello
  6. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table DP05 ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates, Tallahassee, FL Metro Area https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP05&g=310XX00US45220 Used for: DP05 figures for Tallahassee, FL Metro Area
  7. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table DP02 Selected Social Characteristics, Tallahassee, FL Metro Area https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP02&g=310XX00US45220 Used for: DP02 figures for Tallahassee, FL Metro Area
  8. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table DP04 Selected Housing Characteristics, Tallahassee, FL Metro Area https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP04&g=310XX00US45220 Used for: DP04 figures for Tallahassee, FL Metro Area
  9. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table DP03 Selected Economic Characteristics, Tallahassee, FL Metro Area https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP03&g=310XX00US45220 Used for: DP03 figures for Tallahassee, FL Metro Area
  10. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table DP05 ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates, Leon County, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP05&g=050XX00US12073 Used for: DP05 figures for Leon County, Florida
  11. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table DP03 Selected Economic Characteristics, Leon County, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP03&g=050XX00US12073 Used for: DP03 figures for Leon County, Florida
  12. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table DP04 Selected Housing Characteristics, Leon County, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP04&g=050XX00US12073 Used for: DP04 figures for Leon County, Florida
  13. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table DP05 ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates, Gadsden County, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP05&g=050XX00US12039 Used for: DP05 figures for Gadsden County, Florida
  14. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table DP03 Selected Economic Characteristics, Gadsden County, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP03&g=050XX00US12039 Used for: DP03 figures for Gadsden County, Florida
  15. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table DP04 Selected Housing Characteristics, Gadsden County, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP04&g=050XX00US12039 Used for: DP04 figures for Gadsden County, Florida
  16. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table DP05 ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates, Wakulla County, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP05&g=050XX00US12129 Used for: DP05 figures for Wakulla County, Florida
  17. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table DP03 Selected Economic Characteristics, Wakulla County, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP03&g=050XX00US12129 Used for: DP03 figures for Wakulla County, Florida
  18. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table DP04 Selected Housing Characteristics, Wakulla County, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP04&g=050XX00US12129 Used for: DP04 figures for Wakulla County, Florida
  19. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table DP05 ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates, Jefferson County, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP05&g=050XX00US12065 Used for: DP05 figures for Jefferson County, Florida
  20. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table DP03 Selected Economic Characteristics, Jefferson County, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP03&g=050XX00US12065 Used for: DP03 figures for Jefferson County, Florida
  21. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table DP04 Selected Housing Characteristics, Jefferson County, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP04&g=050XX00US12065 Used for: DP04 figures for Jefferson County, Florida
  22. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table DP05 ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates, Tallahassee city, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP05&g=160XX00US1270600 Used for: DP05 figures for Tallahassee city, Florida
  23. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table DP05 ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP05&g=040XX00US12 Used for: DP05 figures for Florida
  24. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table DP04 Selected Housing Characteristics, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP04&g=040XX00US12 Used for: DP04 figures for Florida
  25. Florida State University, Student Body https://www.fsu.edu/about/students.html Used for: fall 2025 enrollment
  26. Florida A&M University, About FAMU https://www.famu.edu/about-famu/index.php Used for: FAMU enrollment
  27. U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census Residence Criteria and Residence Situations https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade/2020/about/residence-rule.html Used for: where college students are counted
  28. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table DP02 Selected Social Characteristics, Leon County, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP02&g=050XX00US12073 Used for: DP02 figures for Leon County, Florida
  29. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table DP02 Selected Social Characteristics, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP02&g=040XX00US12 Used for: DP02 figures for Florida
  30. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table DP02 Selected Social Characteristics, Gadsden County, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP02&g=050XX00US12039 Used for: DP02 figures for Gadsden County, Florida
  31. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table DP02 Selected Social Characteristics, Wakulla County, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP02&g=050XX00US12129 Used for: DP02 figures for Wakulla County, Florida
  32. U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table DP02 Selected Social Characteristics, Jefferson County, Florida https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP02&g=050XX00US12065 Used for: DP02 figures for Jefferson County, Florida
  33. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Lake Talquin State Forest https://www.fdacs.gov/Forest-Wildfire/Our-Forests/State-Forests/Lake-Talquin-State-Forest Used for: forest acreage, counties, Ochlockonee River and Lake Talquin
  34. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, About Us https://www.fws.gov/refuge/st-marks/about-us Used for: refuge acreage, counties, 1931 establishment, lighthouse
  35. U.S. Census Bureau, About Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/metro-micro/about.html Used for: how OMB delineates metro areas, 50,000 urban-area threshold, history of the term
  36. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs Used for: 2020-2024 ACS 5-year release
  37. Tallahassee-Leon County Office of Economic Vitality, Data Center https://oevforbusiness.org/data-center/ Used for: MSA data center and office address
Last updated: October 18, 2026

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