What it's like to live in Hialeah
Hialeah is a large city in Florida with unemployment below the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Hialeah deals with rent well above the national average, household incomes below the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Low crime rates
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Below-average household incomes
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- High rent burden for renters
- Hot summers
How Hialeah compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Hialeah
Based on Hialeah's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,378
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $67,560 a year
- 62% of Hialeah renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$78,400
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $39,200
- Homes cost 7.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 20% above US
$1,689/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,689 a month median. That premium adds up quickly for renters whose income hasn't kept pace with local prices. Home prices run above average, with a median around $392,000. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $392,000 · 62% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 40% below US
2.6% unemployment
Unemployment here is 2.6%, well below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 48% below US
173 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1371/100k · Hialeah Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 12% above US
29 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 29 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 13% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 91°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 61°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
4 hospitals
There are 4 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 3.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 39% below US
22% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 22%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
35 public schools inside the boundary
There are 35 public schools inside the boundary and 63 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Biscayne National Park (27 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Hialeah's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,689/mo) equals 36% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers and anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Hialeah
All Florida guides →Moving to Miami Lakes →
3 mi away · pop. 31,553
Rent $2,120/mo · Income $101,557
Compare with Hialeah →Moving to Hialeah Gardens →
3 mi away · pop. 22,915
Rent $1,946/mo · Income $65,439
Compare with Hialeah →Not sure Hialeah is the one?
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