Is Miami, FL a Good Place to Live?
Miami is a large city of 443,665 in Florida, with a median household income of $54,858 and a 5.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.
Strengths: Miami stands out for solid school ratings (B-).
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices. Whether Miami is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Miami 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: 111.8Miami's overall cost of living index is 111.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Miami costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Miami, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $433,900 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,494 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 30.1% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $54,858 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Near National AverageMiami's violent crime rate is 473.3 per 100,000 residents — 25% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Miami is served primarily by MIAMI-DADE. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.4:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Miami, 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 | 34.2% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 78.8% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Miami sees average highs of 73.6°F in January and 87.8°F in July, with 57.2 inches of annual precipitation .
| Metric | Miami, FL |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 73.6°F |
| Average High — July | 87.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | Trace / None |
Demographics
| Metric | Miami, FL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 443,665 | — |
| Median Age | 39.7 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 28.2 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 45.4% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 14.1% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 37.5% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.5% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 16.3% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Miami
Miami, FL is covered by 19 ZIP codes: