What it's like to live in Miami Shores
Miami Shores is a small city in Florida with county unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Miami Shores deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and larger class sizes than the national average.
The good
- Low unemployment in the county
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
- High rent burden for renters
- Above-average rainfall
How Miami Shores compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Miami Shores
Based on Miami Shores's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$5,314
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $106,280 a year
- 52% of Miami Shores renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$172,880
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $86,440
- Homes cost 6.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 88% above US
$2,657/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,657 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 are steep, with a median around $864,400. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $864,400 · 52% 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▼ 65% below US
117 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 2447/100k · Miami Shores Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
26 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 26 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 25% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 87°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 63°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 78% above US
64% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
2 public schools inside the boundary
There are 2 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Biscayne National Park (26 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Miami Shores's strongest points are county unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($2,657/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), anyone prioritizing low crime, and remote workers (25% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
Other places near Miami Shores
All Florida guides →Moving to North Miami →
2 mi away · pop. 60,344
Rent $1,702/mo · Income $57,188
Compare with Miami Shores →Moving to Pinewood →
2 mi away · pop. 18,114
Rent $1,532/mo · Income $59,410
Compare with Miami Shores →Moving to West Little River →
4 mi away · pop. 33,890
Rent $1,482/mo · Income $56,436
Compare with Miami Shores →Not sure Miami Shores is the one?
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