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Living in
Palmetto Estates.
Palmetto Estates is an unincorporated community in Miami-Dade County, FL. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Palmetto Estates
This unincorporated Miami-Dade neighborhood sits about 15 miles southwest of downtown Miami, and it's genuinely a working residential community rather than a destination—think families, established households, and people who've put down roots here. The median household income hovers around $82,000, which is solid middle-class territory for South Florida, though you'll pay accordingly: median home values sit at $445,900 and rent runs about $1,948 monthly, so this isn't an escape from Miami's cost spiral, but it's somewhat more reasonable than living closer to the city center. The job market is tight with unemployment at just 2.7%, and your commute to employment centers typically averages 35 minutes, which isn't terrible for the Miami metro area—though you'll absolutely need a car since you're navigating unincorporated county land between the Homestead Extension Turnpike and Dixie Highway.
Palmetto Estates at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
11.6%
Foreign-Born
49.1%
Broadband Internet
94.5%
of households
Population Growth
+6.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics49.1% foreign-born, most often from Cuba
Who lives in Palmetto Estates: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Palmetto Estates, the largest foreign-born group is from Cuba (54.7%), and 54.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
19.5%
of residents
65 and Older
17.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
41.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
12.5%
of households
Married Couples
51.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.80
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 17% above FL average
Rent, home values, and income in Palmetto Estates
In Palmetto Estates, rent runs 17% above the FL average, and home values are 24% above the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
62.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
33.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
114.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,734
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
86.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1973
median year built
Vacant Homes
1.1%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.2 pts below FL average
Unemployment in Palmetto Estates and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Miami-Dade County, which includes Palmetto Estates, is 1.2 percentage points lower than the FL average.
Unemployment rate
Palmetto Estates: Miami-Dade County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Miami-Dade County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Palmetto Estates is less than 1% of Miami-Dade County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Palmetto Estates 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
Commute34.4 min avg
How Palmetto Estates residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Palmetto Estates, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 37% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 13 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.
Safetyabout average for violent crime
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Miami-Dade County Police Department, which covers Palmetto Estates, is close to the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
335.5
per 100,000 residents
About average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,809.6
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Miami-Dade County Police Department (county-wide rate)
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 Estates, 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 Estates 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 Estates, 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 Estates is less than 1% of Miami-Dade County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate91°F summers, 58°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Palmetto Estates has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and warm winters (avg low 58°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
85°/65°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/75°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
86°/70°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
78°/58°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
56.9"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
105
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 | 77°F | 57°F | 1.74" |
| Feb | 80°F | 59°F | 1.96" |
| Mar | 82°F | 61°F | 2.03" |
| Apr | 85°F | 65°F | 2.86" |
| May | 88°F | 70°F | 5.16" |
| Jun | 90°F | 74°F | 8.82" |
| Jul | 91°F | 75°F | 7.19" |
| Aug | 92°F | 75°F | 8.28" |
| Sep | 90°F | 75°F | 8.42" |
| Oct | 87°F | 71°F | 5.25" |
| Nov | 82°F | 64°F | 2.09" |
| Dec | 79°F | 60°F | 2.28" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Palmetto Estates
Uninsured
16.4%
of residents
No hospitals inside Palmetto Estates's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Baptist Hospital of Miami
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.9 mi away · Miami
West Kendall Baptist Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.1 mi away · Miami
South Miami Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.1 mi away · 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.
Education16.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Palmetto Estates
Palmetto Estates's student/teacher ratio is 16.3:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 25.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
2
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
25.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Palmetto Estates (within 15 miles)
Florida International University
9.5 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
12.2 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, 13 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Palmetto Estates
Palmetto Estates has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Biscayne National Park (13 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Biscayne National Park
National Park
13 mi awayEverglades National Park
National Park
37 mi awayBig Cypress National Preserve
National Preserve
51 mi awayCities Near Palmetto Estates
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Palmetto Estates?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Palmetto Estates FAQ
Is Palmetto Estates, Florida affordable?⌄
Palmetto Estates's median rent is $1,948/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $82,064/year. Median home value is $445,900.
Is Palmetto Estates, Florida safe?⌄
Palmetto Estates is policed by the Miami-Dade County Police Department, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 336 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1810 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Palmetto Estates, Florida?⌄
Miami-Dade County, which includes Palmetto Estates, 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 Palmetto Estates, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in Palmetto Estates is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,948/month and median household income is $82,064/year. The median home value is $445,900. About 62% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Palmetto Estates, Florida?⌄
The average commute in Palmetto Estates is 34 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