What it's like to live in Opa-locka
Opa-locka is a small city in Florida with home prices that remain within reach and county unemployment below the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Opa-locka deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- Low college degree attainment
- High poverty rate
How Opa-locka compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Opa-locka
Based on Opa-locka's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,702
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $54,040 a year
- 71% of Opa-locka renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$59,160
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $29,580
- Homes cost 7.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,351/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,351 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $295,800. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $295,800 · 71% 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▲ 287% above US
1276 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 4099/100k · Opa Locka Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 22% above US
32 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 31.7 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% take public transit; 7% 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
Education & workforce▼ 78% below US
8% 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
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Biscayne National Park (28 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Opa-locka's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and county unemployment below the national average; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,351/mo) equals 43% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low).
Other places near Opa-locka
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