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Living in
South Miami Heights.
South Miami Heights 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 South Miami Heights
South Miami Heights offers an affordable slice of the Miami metro area compared to more central neighborhoods, with median home values around $407,000 and rents averaging $1,605 monthly. The job market is steady with unemployment at 2.7%, though many residents commute 36 minutes or more to reach employment centers, so you'll want to factor in daily drive time and transportation costs. This is a solidly Latino community where Spanish is the primary language for the majority—if you don't speak it, you'll definitely want to learn some basics to feel at home.
South Miami Heights at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.5%
Foreign-Born
55.3%
Broadband Internet
90.1%
of households
Population Growth
+1.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics55.3% foreign-born, most often from Cuba
Who lives in South Miami Heights: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In South Miami Heights, the largest foreign-born group is from Cuba (58.5%), and 71.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.4%
of residents
65 and Older
17.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
36.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
17.5%
of households
Married Couples
47.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.19
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 about average for FL
Rent, home values, and income in South Miami Heights
In South Miami Heights, home values are 13% above the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
57.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
30.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
114.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,285
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
62.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1978
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.1%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.2 pts below FL average
Unemployment in South Miami Heights and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Miami-Dade County, which includes South Miami Heights, is 1.2 percentage points lower than the FL average.
Unemployment rate
South Miami Heights: Miami-Dade County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Miami-Dade County (county-wide) · Annual averages
South Miami Heights is about 1% of Miami-Dade County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What South Miami Heights 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
Commute34.7 min avg
How South Miami Heights residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In South Miami Heights, most residents drive alone to work (78%), and 43% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 15 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 South Miami Heights, 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 South Miami Heights, 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
South Miami Heights is about 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 South Miami Heights, 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
South Miami Heights is about 1% of Miami-Dade County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate90°F summers, 57°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
South Miami Heights has warm summers (avg high 90°F) and warm winters (avg low 57°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
83°/63°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
90°/72°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
85°/68°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
77°/57°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
56.9"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
80
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
0
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
140
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 76°F | 55°F | 2.04" |
| Feb | 78°F | 57°F | 2.26" |
| Mar | 80°F | 59°F | 2.29" |
| Apr | 84°F | 63°F | 3.39" |
| May | 86°F | 68°F | 5.63" |
| Jun | 89°F | 72°F | 10.11" |
| Jul | 90°F | 73°F | 7.76" |
| Aug | 90°F | 73°F | 10.16" |
| Sep | 89°F | 73°F | 10.09" |
| Oct | 86°F | 69°F | 7.60" |
| Nov | 81°F | 63°F | 2.88" |
| Dec | 78°F | 58°F | 2.26" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in South Miami Heights
Uninsured
14.4%
of residents
No hospitals inside South Miami Heights's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Baptist Hospital of Miami
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.3 mi away · Miami
West Kendall Baptist Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.5 mi away · Miami
Homestead Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.2 mi away · Homestead
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.
Education20.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in South Miami Heights
South Miami Heights's student/teacher ratio is 20.0:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 19.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
10
within city limits
College Degree Rate
19.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
20.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near South Miami Heights (within 15 miles)
Florida International University
11.5 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)
New Professions Technical Institute
14.6 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)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 287 students · in-state tuition $13,818 · 56% graduate · median earnings $48,006 (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 South Miami Heights
South Miami Heights 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
34 mi awayBig Cypress National Preserve
National Preserve
51 mi awayCities Near South Miami Heights
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to South Miami Heights?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
South Miami Heights FAQ
Is South Miami Heights, Florida affordable?⌄
South Miami Heights's median rent is $1,605/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $65,417/year. Median home value is $407,100.
Is South Miami Heights, Florida safe?⌄
South Miami Heights 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 South Miami Heights, Florida?⌄
Miami-Dade County, which includes South Miami Heights, 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 South Miami Heights, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in South Miami Heights is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,605/month and median household income is $65,417/year. The median home value is $407,100. About 58% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in South Miami Heights, Florida?⌄
The average commute in South Miami Heights 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