Is Tallahassee Safe? Crime Rates & Safety Report

Tallahassee, Florida, is in the Panhandle of the state in an area known as the Big Bend.

It’s the home to Florida State University, so there’s a lot more activity during the fall and spring semesters, with a slowdown in activity during the summer.

Tallahassee, or “Tally” as it’s sometimes referred to, isn’t on the Gulf of Mexico, but it’s just 45 minutes from the water.

One of the distinguishing characteristics of the Big Bend in Florida is the lack of traditional beaches and barrier islands.

Those are more for the western end of the Panhandle and the east and west Florida coast cities.

Here there’s more marshland and wooded areas.

The city is home to nearly 200,000 people, but up to 70,000 of those are students at FSU and other colleges in the city.

Florida A&M University in Tally is a historically black college with high accolades.

Tallahassee (“tal-uh-has-ee”) is also the state’s capital, so there’s increased activity during legislative sessions and political seasons.

Winter also brings snowbirds, which are retired people who are escaping the harsh winters of the north.

The city sits along Interstate 10, one of the largest coast-to-coast highways in the country.

Tallahassee is also halfway between Jacksonville and Mobile, Alabama, making for a great place to stop for a meal on a road trip.

I’ve stayed in Tally several times on various road trips.

Warnings & Dangers in Tallahassee

Safest Places to Visit in Tallahassee

VisitTallahassee.com is the official tourism website for the city.

Ensure you type the name correctly, so you don’t get sent to a spoof site.

It’s T-A-L-L-A-H-A-S-S-E-E.

This website covers Tally and the surrounding Leon County.

You can download a free visitor’s guide on the site.

Florida Historic Capital Museum is a great place to start to learn how this small town became the big capital of a powerful state.

The exterior is worth an Instagram photo, with striped awnings and stained glass windows complementing the 1902 architecture.

The Tallahassee Museum is a tribute to the wilderness and wildlife in the Big Bend region, set on more than 50 acres.

Here you get history, animals, fauna, and even some dinosaurs.

You can tour a 19th-century village on site too.

For those looking for more excitement, take a zip line ride or climb the aerial adventure course.

The Museum History of Florida has all the typical artifacts and art from a time gone by, but one of the most outstanding exhibits is from the Florida Highwaymen.

As a former Florida resident, I don’t think these amazing artists get enough accolades.

The Highwaymen were 26 African American artists who created dynamic and exquisite paintings and sold them door-to-door from the 1950s through the 1980s.

Why door-to-door?

Because of racial disparities, no museum would allow the paintings to be hung, and stores refused to sell them.

Now, many of their artworks proudly hang in this museum.

If you’re looking for a college experience, go to CollegeTown – one of the entertainment districts in Tallahassee.

Here you’ll find hotels close to the stadium, restaurants, and bars at every corner, and that lively spirit only a college town can bring.

The Railroad Square Arts District is for the eclectic artists among us.

The funky vibe is reflected in the restaurants, stores, galleries, and general atmosphere.

On the first Friday of every month, you’ll find an art and music festival here.

One must-see place in this district is the train caboose turned into a cafe.

Just off I-10 at Thomasville Road, you’ll be far from the college crowd and in the Market District.

I had one of the best hamburgers of my life at Ted’s Montana Grill in this district.

It’s more of a suburban neighborhood, but for some people, that is just what they are looking for, and it’s right off the interstate, so there’s less traffic to deal with going all the way downtown.

Head a little more northeast from this area, and you’ll be in Uptown at Bannerman Crossings.

It’s a growing neighborhood with more mature shopping and dining than CollegeTown.

For those who want to see the water (I mean, you ARE in Florida, right?), head south to one (or more) of the following options:

• St. Mark’s National Wildlife Refuge: A great place for birding with a lighthouse open for tours during limited hours.
• Bald Point State Park: Marshes, beaches, woods, and bald eagle sightings are among the things to see and do here.
• Lake Talquin State Park: For lake lovers, this is the place to visit just west of Tally.

Places to Avoid in Tallahassee

A lot of law enforcement focus has been put on safety in the 32304 area code due to increased violence and safety issues.

When you look at the map, that’s going to be concerning because FSU is in that zip code.

There’s a particular part of that zip code near the Springfield Apartments that should be avoided.

This part of the zip code is widely responsible for many violent crimes.

If you aren’t on one of the college campuses, stay away from directly north and due west areas of town.

If you’re looking at a map of the Big Bend area, you might notice I left off the Flint Rock Wildlife Management Area in my outdoor list.

There’s a reason.

You need a recreational use permit to enter the area.

This is mostly land designated for hunting with a select few other activities or events.

Review the Flint Rock Wildlife Management Area website before you consider going there.

It’s not a bad place to be, you’re just not going to get in without following the instructions.

Here’s something I CAN NOT STRESS ENOUGH – Do NOT go to any of the wilderness areas without ample amounts of bug spray, knee-high socks, and hiking boots or shoes that cover your ankles.

Why?

Bugs.

Lots of them.

Mean ones.

Even St. Mark’s National Wildlife Refuge mentions near the top of the landing page to watch out for “a variety of biting insects.”

Also, don’t get false hope that the canopy of trees will help keep outdoor areas cool in the summer.

The humidity here is very high, and you will likely sweat completely through your clothing.

You might want to bring a change of clothes for the ride back to Tallahassee.

Even trying to cool off in the water is a no-no because there are alligators in this region.

Safety Tips for Traveling to Tallahassee

So... How Safe Is Tallahassee Really?

Tallahassee has a violent crime rate twice the national average, and that’s according to 2020 data.

We also know gun crimes and homicides have increased in 2021 and into 2022.

In late October 2022, a mass shooting outside a liquor store west of the FSU campus (In that 32304 area code!) left one person dead and eight more hurt.

The shooter was seen firing into a crowd.

It’s those kinds of random acts of violence that make it seem like a city isn’t a safe place to visit.

It’s a problem happening all across America in 2022 and into 2023.

You can limit your risks in any city, but especially Tallahasse, by not being out late at night.

Certainly, don’t walk around alone at night.

Avoid the non-campus areas of the 32304 zip code.

You can just type that zip code into Google Maps, and you’ll see the boundaries.

Avoid the Springfield Apartments area too.

I’ve written hundreds of articles like this one, and each city – including Tally – has a common threat.

Poverty-stricken areas were hit hard by the pandemic, and people turned to a life of crime or joined a gang to survive.

There’s also a trend of juveniles getting caught up in more brazen criminal activity, and the courts aren’t tough enough or don’t have laws that back them up from accountable behavior.

The cycle of criminal activity continues.

The community is gathering to find solutions to the crime wave, but as a tourist, the more you stay in the entertainment districts and in the north or northwest part of town, the less risk you’ll face.

The most common risks are going to be petty theft like car break-ins or stolen shopping bags.

Lock your car and roll up your windows when you park.

You also want those windows rolled up, so mosquitos don’t get in.

How Does Tallahassee Compare?

City	Safety Index
Tallahassee	69
Deadwood	80
Sturgis	80
Pierre	81
Spearfish	80
Hill City	83
Sevierville	73
Temuco (Chile)	31
Puno (Peru)	45
Nara (Japan)	88
Kanazawa (Japan)	83
Hammamet (Tunisia)	78
Sidi Bou Said (Tunisia)	42

Useful Information

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Tallahassee Weather Averages (Temperatures)

Average High/Low Temperature

Florida - Safety by City

City	Safety Index
Amelia Island	85
Boca Raton	89
Boynton Beach	74
Bradenton	84
Brandon	64
Cape Coral	82
Clearwater	71
Cocoa Beach	92
Coral Springs	78
Daytona Beach	83
Deerfield Beach	78
Delray Beach	65
Deltona	82
Destin	92
Everglades City	93
Fort Lauderdale	64
Fort Myers	75
Fort Pierce	72
Fort Walton Beach	84
Gainesville	67
Hialeah	52
Homestead	65
Jacksonville	41
Jupiter	87
Kendall	87
Key Largo	84
Key West	67
Kissimmee	82
Lake Buena Vista	72
Lake City	72
Lake Worth Beach	76
Lakeland	67
Lauderhill	75
Marco Island	88
Melbourne	65
Miami	55
Miami Beach	68
Miami Gardens	52
Miramar	72
Mount Dora	91
Naples	91
New Smyrna Beach	84
North Port	87
Ocala	88
Orlando	64
Ormond Beach	83
Palm Beach Gardens	82
Palm Harbor	81
Panama City Beach	77
Pembroke Pines	77
Pensacola	69
Pompano Beach	72
Port St. Lucie	85
Punta Gorda	83
Sarasota	83
St. Augustine	87
St. Petersburg	77
Tallahassee	69
Tampa	52
Vero Beach	84
West Palm Beach	54
Winter Park	84