What it's like to live in Miami Gardens
Miami Gardens is a mid-size city in Florida with 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. Miami Gardens 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
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Below-average household incomes
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- Low college degree attainment
- High rent burden for renters
How Miami Gardens compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Miami Gardens
Based on Miami Gardens's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,574
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $71,480 a year
- 61% of Miami Gardens renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$75,700
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $37,850
- Homes cost 5.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 26% above US
$1,787/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,787 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices run above average, with a median around $378,500. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $378,500 · 61% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 23% below US
3.3% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.3%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
SafetyNear US average
359 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 1746/100k · Miami Gardens Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 23% above US
32 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 32.1 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. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 89°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
Education & workforce▼ 50% below US
18% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
31 public schools inside the boundary
There are 31 public schools inside the boundary and 22 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Biscayne National Park (31 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Miami Gardens's strongest point is unemployment 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 ($1,787/mo) equals 34% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and people who dread long commutes.
Other places near Miami Gardens
All Florida guides →Moving to Opa-locka →
3 mi away · pop. 16,282
Rent $1,351/mo · Income $37,532
Compare with Miami Gardens →Moving to Ives Estates →
4 mi away · pop. 28,506
Rent $2,110/mo · Income $72,239
Compare with Miami Gardens →Not sure Miami Gardens is the one?
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