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You can have my city for free. I would generally avoid Tallahassee unless you are an extremely avid outdoorsperson. (If you like hunting, fishing, four-wheeling, wildlife photography, etc., it might work well for you.) The Tallahassee area is surrounded by vast expanses of national forest and swamp and the nearest beaches are about 45 minutes or more away. The nearest big cities are 3 to 5 hours away (Jacksonville, Atlanta, Orlando). On the plus side, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge is a beautiful treasure and Route 98 along the coast is a beautiful drive from St. Marks to Panama City. We've been privileged to see alligators, bears, bobcats, boars, coyotes, foxes, and lots of deer. However, Panama City, Destin, and Pensacola offer great beaches and a more upscale lifestyle for those lucky or savvy enough to have accumulated the wealth to enjoy it.
Tallahassee puts the provincial in provincial capital. The city has two major universities, but sometimes there is scant evidence that all that schooling has done any good. Residents of the area make your average West Virginian look like a Rhodes Scholar and NPR listener. People consistently drive 5 to 10 miles per hour below the speed limit due to important text messages, drugs in the car, poor car maintenance, or general pokiness. The area has state government jobs, but they generally offer low pay and a lack of raises. A Republican governor and legislature have demonized state workers and are inclined to cut jobs in Tallahassee. But, the local government and business community has done little to attract private sector investment. There is a lot of wasted potential in Tallahassee. With proper leadership, the area could attract the headquarters of medium-sized banks and insurance companies.
Apartment complexes in the area are often bug-infested and moldy and food tends to be chain restaurants, fast food, and mediocre local joints. Service is inconsistent and the city has the worst IHOP in the free world. Much of the Tallahassee populace is staunchly anti-development. They would rather pedestrians and bus riders stand and walk in mud than make a live oak uncomfortable with a sidewalk or bus stop shelter. Rental cars are parked in the woods across the street from the airport. If you are married and your wife comes from a civilized area, she will be appalled by Tallahassee. You'll get all the frogs, snakes, and bugs of Florida, but not the balmy, breezy, palmy idyllic life you'd expect in the state.
Jobs in Florida tend to pay about 10% lower than in other states because there is no state income tax and because you are supposed to be happy just to be in the state. So, if you are moving to Florida, make sure you have access to all the beaches and tourist attractions that make it all worthwhile. If I was moving to Florida again, I'd go for Jacksonville, Tampa, Daytona, Orlando, Naples, Juno Beach, Pensacola, or Panama City. Gainesville is nicer than Tallahassee and closer to Jacksonville, but is still pretty far from the beaches. We had high hopes when we moved here, but now I hate Tallahassee for totally squandering the promise of Florida.
I don't think you'll find extreme racial friction in Florida. However, some areas do have a paradise lost feel to them and people do resent members of the criminal underclass for their often appalling behavior.
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