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Living in
Palmetto Bay.
About
Life in Palmetto Bay
Palmetto Bay is an affluent village in south Miami-Dade County along Biscayne Bay, made up mostly of large single-family lots and tree-lined streets. It's a place of homeowners: about 78% of households own, and the median home value of $879,700 is far above the national figure. The median household income is $142,447, about 76% above the national median, and 60% of adults hold a college degree.
Palmetto Bay at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.8%
Foreign-Born
32.4%
Broadband Internet
94.1%
of households
Population Growth
+1.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics32.4% foreign-born, most often from Cuba
Who lives in Palmetto Bay: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Palmetto Bay, the largest foreign-born group is from Cuba (29.4%), and 43.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.3%
of residents
65 and Older
15.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
35.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
18.7%
of households
Married Couples
64.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.00
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 26% above FL average
Rent, home values, and income in Palmetto Bay
In Palmetto Bay, rent runs 26% above the FL average, and home values are 145% above the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
66.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
34.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
114.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,758
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
78.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1976
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.1%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.3 pts below FL average
Unemployment in Palmetto Bay and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Palmetto Bay is 1.3 percentage points lower than the FL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
What Palmetto Bay 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
Commute35.3 min avg
How Palmetto Bay residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Palmetto Bay, most residents drive alone to work (60%), and 41% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 12 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 66% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Palmetto Bay runs 66% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
112.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,580.9
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Palmetto Bay 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 Palmetto Bay, 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
Palmetto Bay 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 Palmetto Bay, 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
Palmetto Bay is less than 1% of Miami-Dade County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate88°F summers, 65°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Palmetto Bay has warm summers (avg high 88°F) and warm winters (avg low 65°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
81°/71°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
88°/79°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
84°/75°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
76°/65°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
56.9"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
29
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
0
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
142
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°F | 64°F | 2.33" |
| Feb | 77°F | 66°F | 2.27" |
| Mar | 78°F | 68°F | 2.03" |
| Apr | 81°F | 72°F | 2.56" |
| May | 84°F | 75°F | 4.62" |
| Jun | 87°F | 77°F | 8.72" |
| Jul | 89°F | 80°F | 4.20" |
| Aug | 89°F | 79°F | 5.85" |
| Sep | 88°F | 78°F | 7.35" |
| Oct | 84°F | 76°F | 5.96" |
| Nov | 80°F | 71°F | 2.61" |
| Dec | 77°F | 66°F | 2.45" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Palmetto Bay
Uninsured
4.1%
of residents
No hospitals inside Palmetto Bay's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Baptist Hospital of Miami
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.6 mi away · Miami
South Miami Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.9 mi away · Miami
Larkin Community Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.1 mi away · South Miami
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.
Education17.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Palmetto Bay
Palmetto Bay's student/teacher ratio is 17.9:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 60.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
9
within city limits
College Degree Rate
60.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Palmetto Bay (within 15 miles)
Florida International University
9.9 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 for-profit · 4-year · 961 students · in-state tuition $24,008 · 55% graduate · median earnings $104,344 (10 yrs after entry)
New Professions Technical Institute
11 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 2-year · 514 students · 100% graduate · median earnings $32,575 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 2-year · 482 students · 93% graduate · median earnings $64,063 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 2-year · 365 students · in-state tuition $14,247 · 56% graduate · median earnings $40,295 (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, 11 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Palmetto Bay
Palmetto Bay has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Biscayne National Park (11 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Biscayne National Park
National Park
11 mi awayEverglades National Park
National Park
39 mi awayBig Cypress National Preserve
National Preserve
53 mi awayPublic Libraries in Palmetto Bay
Palmetto Bay Branch
17641 Old Cutler Road, Miami
Cities Near Palmetto Bay
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Palmetto Bay?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Palmetto Bay FAQ
Is Palmetto Bay, Florida affordable?⌄
Palmetto Bay's median rent is $2,101/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $142,447/year. Median home value is $879,700.
Is Palmetto Bay, Florida safe?⌄
Palmetto Bay's violent crime rate was 113 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1581 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Palmetto Bay, Florida?⌄
Palmetto Bay has an unemployment rate of 2.6%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Palmetto Bay, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in Palmetto Bay is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,101/month and median household income is $142,447/year. The median home value is $879,700. About 67% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Palmetto Bay, Florida?⌄
The average commute in Palmetto Bay is 35 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