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Living in
Opa-locka.
About
Life in Opa-locka
Opa-locka is a compact urban neighborhood in northern Miami-Dade County, just 12 miles north of downtown Miami, where you're living in a genuinely multicultural community shaped by waves of migration from the Caribbean—Bahamian, Haitian, Jamaican, Dominican, and Cuban families make up the cultural fabric here. The city's most distinctive feature is its unusual Moorish Revival architecture, a legacy from its 1926 founding by aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss, so you'll notice those distinctive street names like Sharazad Boulevard and Sinbad Avenue woven throughout the neighborhood, giving the place genuine character even if it's not always maintained in picture-perfect condition. Housing costs are moderate for South Florida—median home values sit around $296,000 and median rent runs about $1,351 monthly—which makes it one of the more affordable options if you're working in the Miami area, though you're still paying Miami-area prices.
Opa-locka at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
29.7%
Foreign-Born
43.1%
Broadband Internet
75.3%
of households
Population Growth
-1.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics43.1% foreign-born, most often from Cuba
Who lives in Opa-locka: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Opa-locka, the largest foreign-born group is from Cuba (62.3%), and 52.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.9%
of residents
65 and Older
15.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
36.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
31.7%
of households
Married Couples
27.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.93
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 19% below FL average
Rent, home values, and income in Opa-locka
In Opa-locka, rent runs 19% below the FL average, and home values are 18% below the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
71.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
38.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
114.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
28.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1969
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $472,824 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.2 pts below FL average
Unemployment in Opa-locka and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Miami-Dade County, which includes Opa-locka, is 1.2 percentage points lower than the FL average.
Unemployment rate
Opa-locka: Miami-Dade County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Miami-Dade County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Opa-locka is less than 1% of Miami-Dade County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Opa-locka Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro area
Commute31.7 min avg
How Opa-locka residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Opa-locka, most residents drive alone to work (67%), and 51% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 8 mi
Miami International Airport (MIA)
Major hub26.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 287% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Opa-locka runs 287% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
1,275.8
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
4,099.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Opa Locka Police Department
Natural DisastersFlood most common — 30 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
99.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Miami-Dade County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Miami-Dade County, which includes Opa-locka, the most common type is flood, with 30 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 30 | Flood | $229,000 |
| 2024 | 28 | Flood | $3.9M |
| 2023 | 40 | Flood | $170,000 |
| 2022 | 30 | Flash Flood | $19,000 |
| 2021 | 25 | Flood | $1.5M |
| 2020 | 37 | Flood | $67,000 |
| 2019 | 41 | Flood | $355,000 |
| 2018 | 21 | Funnel Cloud | $21,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Miami-Dade County, county-wide
Opa-locka is less than 1% of Miami-Dade County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality47 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Miami-Dade County, which includes Opa-locka, is typically good — 206 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
47
Good Days
206
per year
Moderate Days
158
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Miami-Dade County, county-wide
Opa-locka is less than 1% of Miami-Dade County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate91°F summers, 61°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Opa-locka has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and warm winters (avg low 61°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
84°/68°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/76°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
86°/72°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
78°/61°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
62.7"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
100
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
0
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
144
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 77°F | 59°F | 1.81" |
| Feb | 79°F | 61°F | 2.66" |
| Mar | 81°F | 64°F | 2.51" |
| Apr | 84°F | 68°F | 2.94" |
| May | 87°F | 72°F | 6.05" |
| Jun | 90°F | 76°F | 8.92" |
| Jul | 91°F | 76°F | 8.13" |
| Aug | 91°F | 77°F | 8.08" |
| Sep | 90°F | 76°F | 8.71" |
| Oct | 86°F | 73°F | 7.78" |
| Nov | 82°F | 67°F | 2.89" |
| Dec | 79°F | 62°F | 2.17" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Opa-locka
Uninsured
21.2%
of residents
No hospitals inside Opa-locka's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
North Shore Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.6 mi away · Miami
Hialeah Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.8 mi away · Hialeah
Larkin Community Hospital Palm Springs Campus
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.2 mi away · Hialeah
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education7.9% college degree rate
Schools and degree attainment in Opa-locka
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
7.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Opa-locka (within 15 miles)
Florida International University
12.3 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 39,508 students · in-state tuition $6,565 · 74% graduate · median earnings $65,722 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 12,913 students · in-state tuition $65,430 · 84% graduate · median earnings $84,093 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,240 students · in-state tuition $40,360 · 67% graduate · median earnings $66,144 (10 yrs after entry)
Florida National University-Main Campus
4.9 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 2-year · 2,449 students · in-state tuition $17,368 · 35% graduate · median earnings $38,806 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,214 students · in-state tuition $35,780 · 49% graduate · median earnings $58,912 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,212 students · in-state tuition $35,600 · 44% graduate · median earnings $64,837 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Biscayne National Park, 28 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Opa-locka
Opa-locka has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Biscayne National Park (28 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Biscayne National Park
National Park
28 mi awayBig Cypress National Preserve
National Preserve
52 mi awayEverglades National Park
National Park
53 mi awayPublic Libraries in Opa-locka
Opa-Locka Branch Library
780 Fisherman Street, Suite 140, Opa-Locka
Cities Near Opa-locka
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Opa-locka?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Opa-locka FAQ
Is Opa-locka, Florida affordable?⌄
Opa-locka's median rent is $1,351/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $37,532/year. Median home value is $295,800.
Is Opa-locka, Florida safe?⌄
Opa-locka's violent crime rate was 1276 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 4099 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Opa-locka, Florida?⌄
Miami-Dade County, which includes Opa-locka, has an unemployment rate of 2.7%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Opa-locka, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in Opa-locka is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,351/month and median household income is $37,532/year. The median home value is $295,800. About 71% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Opa-locka, Florida?⌄
The average commute in Opa-locka is 32 minutes, which is longer than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from