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Moving to
Kendale Lakes.
Kendale Lakes 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.
What it's like to live in Kendale Lakes
Kendale Lakes is a large unincorporated community in Florida with county unemployment 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. Kendale Lakes deals with rent well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and a population that has been shrinking.
The good
- Low unemployment in the county
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- Shrinking population
- High rent burden for renters
- Hot summers
How Kendale Lakes compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Kendale Lakes
Based on Kendale Lakes's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,936
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $78,720 a year
- 63% of Kendale Lakes renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$80,900
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $40,450
- Homes cost 5.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 39% above US
$1,968/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $1,968 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices run above average, with a median around $404,500. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $404,500 · 63% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
2.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Miami-Dade County is 2.7%, well below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Miami-Dade County (county-wide)
Safety
336 violent crimes per 100k, whole jurisdiction
Kendale Lakes doesn't have its own police department, so there's no crime rate for it alone. The figures shown are for the Miami-Dade County Police Department jurisdiction as a whole, which runs close to the national average for violent crime and covers many communities. Individual neighborhoods can differ a lot from that overall rate.
Property crime 1810/100k · Policed by Miami-Dade County Police Department (county-wide rate) · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 26% above US
33 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 32.8 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% 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 60°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 12% below US
32% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 32% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
13 public schools inside the boundary
There are 13 public schools inside the boundary and 11 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Biscayne National Park (19 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Kendale Lakes's strongest point is county unemployment below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and commute times longer than most cities. A year of median rent ($1,968/mo) equals 33% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low). It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget, people who dread long commutes, and anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Kendale Lakes
All Florida guides →Moving to Kendall West →
2 mi away · pop. 35,912
Rent $1,808/mo · Income $69,554
Compare with Kendale Lakes →Moving to Westwood Lakes →
3 mi away · pop. 10,553
Rent $2,472/mo · Income $86,040
Compare with Kendale Lakes →Moving to The Crossings →
3 mi away · pop. 22,963
Rent $2,103/mo · Income $91,012
Compare with Kendale Lakes →Moving to Sunset →
3 mi away · pop. 13,535
Rent $2,118/mo · Income $109,401
Compare with Kendale Lakes →Not sure Kendale Lakes is the one?
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