New Report Uncovers Florida’s Most Tax-Wasting Cities

A new report released by WalletHub ranks several Florida cities among the best and worst-run in the United States based on how effectively local governments manage their budgets while delivering public services.

Tallahassee ranked as the best-run city in Florida and 18th overall out of 148 major U.S. cities evaluated in the 2025 report. Jacksonville followed closely behind at 19th overall.

The analysis measured each city’s operating efficiency by comparing the quality of city services — including safety, education, infrastructure, and health — against the city’s total budget per capita. Cities that scored well provided stronger services at a lower cost to residents.

Tallahassee earned a top-20 spot due to its strong performance in both categories, placing 54th for services and 18th for budget efficiency. Jacksonville was rated even higher for budget management, ranking 8th in the nation, but its overall service quality ranked low at 93rd.

St. Petersburg was the next Florida city to appear in the rankings, coming in at 42nd overall. The city ranked 25th in service quality and 73rd in budget spending per capita.

Other Florida cities included in the report had more mixed results:

• Miami ranked 70th overall, with a high score in service quality (15th) but low marks for budget efficiency (101st).
• Orlando placed 76th overall, with a service ranking of 29th and a budget ranking of 104th.
• Tampa came in at 97th overall, with one of the state’s widest gaps between service (24th) and budget efficiency (122nd).
• Fort Lauderdale ranked 90th overall.
• Hialeah landed at 71st, while St. Petersburg, as noted, was the top-ranked major metro in the state after Tallahassee and Jacksonville.

WalletHub’s annual “Best- & Worst-Run Cities in America” report aims to evaluate the effectiveness of local leadership by comparing the cost of city operations to the quality of services provided. This year’s study comes as cities nationwide continue to face fiscal challenges from inflation, housing shortages, and public safety concerns.

The full report is available at WalletHub.com.