Homeowners ask for a number, and the honest answer is that comfort in North Florida depends as much on humidity and airflow as it does on the thermostat setting. That said, there are patterns worth knowing.
A practical starting range
Most Tallahassee households land somewhere between 74 and 78 degrees in summer. Within that range, the deciding factor is usually indoor humidity: a house at 77 degrees and 48 percent relative humidity feels better than one at 74 degrees and 62 percent.
Pick a setting, leave it there for a few days, and judge comfort rather than chasing the number down when the house feels damp.
Set the fan to AUTO, not ON
This is the most common setting mistake in Florida homes. With the fan on ON, it keeps blowing after the compressor stops, and moisture that just condensed on the coil evaporates right back into your house.
AUTO lets that water drain away. The change costs nothing and often makes a noticeable difference in how the house feels.
Be careful with deep setbacks
Turning the system up dramatically while you are out saves run time, but recovering from it means both cooling and dehumidifying a house that has absorbed moisture all day. In a humid climate, an aggressive setback can leave the house clammy for hours.
A modest setback of three or four degrees is usually a better balance than eight or ten.
Winter settings
With a heat pump, avoid large temperature jumps. Asking for a five-degree increase all at once can pull in auxiliary strip heat that would not otherwise be needed, which is expensive. Steady settings and gradual changes keep the heat pump doing the work.
If the setting is not the problem
If no setpoint makes the house comfortable, the issue is likely humidity control, duct leakage, airflow, or equipment sizing. Those are fixable, and chasing a lower thermostat setting just raises the bill without solving anything.