Is Bay Harbor Islands, FL a Good Place to Live?
Bay Harbor Islands is a small town of 5,843 in Florida, with a median household income of $73,587 and a 3.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Bay Harbor Islands stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, longer commutes. Whether Bay Harbor Islands is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Bay Harbor Islands city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 111.8Bay Harbor Islands's overall cost of living index is 111.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Bay Harbor Islands costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Bay Harbor Islands, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $480,600 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,250 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 45.4% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $73,587 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeBay Harbor Islands's violent crime rate is 35.7 per 100,000 residents — 91% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Bay Harbor Islands is served primarily by MIAMI-DADE. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.4:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Bay Harbor Islands, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | MIAMI-DADE | — |
| Elementary Schools | 288 | — |
| Middle Schools | 77 | — |
| High Schools | 130 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 19.4:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 53.8% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 97.3% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Bay Harbor Islands sees average highs of 73.6°F in January and 87.8°F in July, with 65.9 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Bay Harbor Islands, FL |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 73.6°F |
| Average High — July | 87.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 65.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Bay Harbor Islands, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,843 | — |
| Median Age | 35.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 32.8 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 55.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 2.7% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39.9% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.5% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 29.6% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 11.7% | 16.8% |