03-07-2025
Tallahassee ranked in top 20 'Best Run Cities in America' by WalletHub
The city of Tallahassee has been ranked among the top 20 "best-run cities in America," according to Wallethub.
In a press release from the city, the news comes following the city being named a finalist for the 2025 All-American City Award.
"Thanks to our dedicated and forward-thinking professional City Manager, we continue to be recognized as one of the best places to live, work and play in the country," Mayor John E. Dailey said as part of the press release.
"Our strategic, focused approach is setting the standard by which other cities aspire and yielding results for our community."
Reese Goad also provided comment in recognition of the ranking: "I'm thrilled to see our City's delivery of best-in-class services through efficient budgeting, process improvements and innovative solutions earn Tallahassee a spot among the best-run cities in the country, and the best in Florida."
"This recognition is a testament to the high-quality of our services – from parks and planning to utilities and public safety – and the foundation they provide for our unparalleled quality of life," Goad added.
In order to receive the ranking, WalletHub, a personal finance company based in Miami, compared the quality of services residents receive against the city's total budget of 148 of the largest cities in the nation.
From there, a 'Quality of Services' score made up of 36 metrics was created, and these metrics were then measured against each city's budget per person in order to determine which were managed the best.
WalletHub regularly analyzes a wide variety of topics spanning from city management, to the best credit card rewards programs and more.
"The best-run cities in America use their budgets most effectively to provide high-quality financial security, education, health, safety and transportation to their residents. Many of the top cities also have a very low amount of outstanding government debt per capita, which can prevent financial troubles in the future," said Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst.
Arianna Otero is the trending and breaking news reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact her via email at AOtero@ and follow her on X: @ari_v_otero.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee ranked in top 20 'Best Run Cities in America' by WalletHub
