What it's like to live in North Miami Beach
North Miami Beach is a small city in Florida with unemployment below the national average and a growing population. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. North Miami Beach deals with rent well above the national average, household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, and commute times longer than most cities.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Growing population
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
How North Miami Beach compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to North Miami Beach
Based on North Miami Beach's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,500
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $70,000 a year
- 64% of North Miami Beach renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$73,340
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $36,670
- Homes cost 5.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 24% above US
$1,750/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,750 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 $366,700. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $366,700 · 64% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 35% below US
2.8% unemployment
Unemployment here is 2.8%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 54% above US
508 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 2423/100k · North Miami Beach Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 16% above US
30 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 30.1 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; 7% take public transit; 12% 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▼ 20% below US
29% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 29%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary and 5 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 22:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Biscayne National Park (30 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
North Miami Beach's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and a growing population; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,750/mo) equals 33% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers.
See all the data for North Miami Beach →·All Florida cities →
Other places near North Miami Beach
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