CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

25.71° N · 80.30° W · GEOID 1267550

South Miami

Miami-Dade County, Florida · part of the Miami, FL metro

FloridaSouth Miami, FLSouth MiamiSouth Miami

The short answer

South Miami is home to 12,277 people. Median household income is $94,507 a year and median rent is $1,764 a month, 22.4% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $829,400, about 8.8x annual median household income.

South Miami is defined by its growth. Household income growth is 8.8% a year, against 4% a year in its closest peers. Also notable: Home values run 35% above what its fundamentals predict in the same metro area.

47OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Average

South Miami scores better than 47% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 118th of 474 in Florida.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%19
Economy 20%71
Safety 20%32
Amenities 15%61
Education 10%85
Commute 10%19
Growth 5%97
Median gross rent
$1,764
29% above the median place
Median household income
$94,507
18% above the median place
Median home value
$829,400
160% above the median place
Unemployment
3.6%
26% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about South Miami

  • How it is changingPopulation change sped up in the latest estimate: +4.3% from 2024 to 2025, against +2.2% a year before that.
01

Moving to South Miami

Miami-Dade County loses about 18.7 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in67,097
Moved out107,355
Net−40,258

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Broward County, FL16,82129,098−12,277
Palm Beach County, FL2,6344,446−1,812
Lee County, FL1,1613,807−2,646
Orange County, FL1,5243,362−1,838
Hillsborough County, FL1,2462,603−1,357
New York County, NY2,031

Within Florida, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within FloridaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$127K
Leavers$78K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Miami-Dade County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
6.3% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 1.3% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Miami-Dade County report $127,200 a year in income on average; those leaving, $78,100, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$70,600 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,764 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $3,626 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $829,400.
Getting to work
31 minutes each way on average; 22.0% work from home; 7.2% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
West Falls Church, VA matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
6.3%
10% above the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people8
-18.7
below the median place (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8
$127,200
80% above the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureSouth MiamiAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year16.3%10% above
Moved from another state1County figure1.3%36% below
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure-18.7below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8County figure$127,20080% above
Income of households moving out8County figure$78,10811% above
02

What it costs to live here

Owning with a mortgage costs about $1,862 a month more than the median rent, a wider gap than in 98% of the 2,298 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track. It is the 3rd-highest of 472 Florida places we track.

South Miami22.4%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$70,560
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
22.4%
10% above the median place
Home price to income
8.8x
131% above the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
22%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$69,900
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in South Miami, $1,764 a month, and local prices for everything else (105.7 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like South Miami, but easier on the budget

Places that match South Miami on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
West Falls Church, VA7118.4% vs 22.4%$40,500Compare
Lake Hiawatha, NJ6917.8% vs 22.4%$12,400Compare
Lake Barcroft, VA6716.4% vs 22.4%$48,100Compare
Herndon, VA6518.3% vs 22.4%$51,200Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in South Miami.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to South Miami? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Renters paying 30%+1
75.8%
50% above the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$3,626
94% above the median place
Median home value1
$829,400
160% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureSouth MiamiAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,76429% above
Rent to income122.4%10% above
Property tax rate10.6%31% below
Home price to income18.8x131% above
Prices vs US average2Metro figure114.213% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$2,56459% above
HUD area median income4County figure$89,80016% below
Property tax paid (median)1$5,24361% above
Median home value1$829,400160% above
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure2.8%13% below
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure79.5%54% above
Homeownership160.2%9% below
Renters paying 30%+175.8%50% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$3,62694% above
Vacant homes19.1%29% above
Median year built119690% below
03

Work and pay

OpenStreetMap shows 50.3 bus and rail stops per square mile, more than in 99% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.

Commutes by transit1
7.2%
above the median place (median 0.8%)
Works from home1
22.0%
77% above the median place
Income per person1
$57,328
43% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Mean commute31 min +24%
Unemployment3.6% −26%
Median household income$94,507 +18%
Poverty rate10.0% −7%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureSouth MiamiAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$94,50718% above
Income per person1$57,32843% above
Unemployment13.6%26% below
Average annual pay6County figure$81,81824% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure5.4%46% above
Jobs6County figure1,276,535above (median 150,665)
Poverty rate110.0%7% below
Mean commute131 min24% above
Works from home122.0%77% above
Commutes by transit17.2%above (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Born abroad is 43.0%, 387% above the median place.

Born abroad1
43.0%
387% above the median place
Population change since 20207
13.6%
above the median place (median 1.1%)
Bachelor's or higher1
56.3%
76% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

No health insurance10.4% +63%
High school or higher93.9% +2%
Household size2.6 +4%
Homes with broadband93.5% +1%
Median age38.9 −0%
All 9 people measures
MeasureSouth MiamiAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population112,2773528th largest
Population change since 2020713.6%above (median 1.1%)
Median age138.90% below
Bachelor's or higher156.3%76% above
High school or higher193.9%2% above
Household size12.64% above
Born abroad143.0%387% above
No health insurance110.4%63% above
Homes with broadband193.5%1% above
05

Life in South Miami

The nearest National Park Service site is Biscayne National Park, about 16 miles away.

Founded or incorporated in 1897. 2 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 5 of them National Historic Landmarks. Its history on Wikipedia

  • Allen, Hervey, Study listed 1974
  • Thomas, Arden "Doc", House listed 2014

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents13.8 +36%
Playgrounds per 10k9.8 +4%
Grocery stores per 10k1.6 −23%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k7.3 −34%
Libraries per 10k1.6 +87%
Named paths and bike trails2 km −5%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi50.3 239.5×

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Biscayne National Park 16 miles
  • Everglades National Park 37 miles
  • Big Cypress National Preserve 52 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars22.2 +7%
Shops39.5 +30%
Arts, recreation and fitness5.9 +44%
Doctors' offices and clinics33.8 +67%
Child care centers2.8 +22%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Public schools14
5
44% below the median place
Public school students14
2,145
56% below the median place
Nearest National Park Service site11
15.8
49% below the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureSouth MiamiAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools14544% below
Public school students142,14556% below
Students per teacher1417.312% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure22.27% above
Shops per 10k9County figure39.530% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure5.944% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure33.867% above
Child care centers per 10k9County figure2.822% above
Parks per 10k1013.836% above
Playgrounds per 10k109.84% above
Grocery stores per 10k101.623% below
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k107.334% below
Libraries per 10k101.687% above
Named paths and bike trails101.95% below
Transit stops per sq mi1050.3above (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site1115.849% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles11350% above
National Register listings12285% below
06

Safety, weather and risk

Violent crime per 100k is 318, 66% above the median place.

Violent crime per 100k
318
66% above the median place
Property crime per 100k
1,625
34% above the median place
Months reported
12 of 12
by the city police department to the FBI

Counts only offenses reported by the city police department. Sheriff, state and campus police are not included, and some departments do not report to the FBI at all, so compare with care.

January average low15
58°F
128% above the median place
Average temperature15
76°F
39% above the median place
Hurricane risk16
100.0
41% above the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureSouth MiamiAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high15County figure91°F5% above
January average low15County figure58°F128% above
Average temperature15County figure76°F39% above
Annual precipitation15County figure57.5 in31% above
Natural hazard risk16County figure99.68% above
Hurricane risk16County figure100.041% above
Tornado risk16County figure98.721% above
Wildfire risk16County figure96.858% above
Heat wave risk16County figure99.310% above
Median air quality index17County figure479% above
Good air days17County figure56.4%18% below
08

South Miami in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 22% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 22% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, South Miami does better than 20% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 45%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,764/mo (2024)$2,270/mo$1,860 to $2,760/mo+4.3%
Median household income$94,507 (2024)$122,000$103,000 to $144,500+4.4%
Median home value$829,400 (2024)$1,185,000$860,000 to $1,632,000+6.1%
Population13,660 (2025)14,78014,180 to 15,410+1.6%

The median home would be worth 9.7 years of the median income in 2030, against 8.8 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like South Miami

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Surfside, FL$1,866$100,208Compare
Newport, RI$1,698$86,313Compare
West Slope, OR$1,716$104,875Compare
Edwards, CO$1,845$81,909Compare
Edwards, COWest Slope, ORNewport, RISurfside, FLSouth Miami, FLSouth MiamiSurfsideNewportWest SlopeEdwardsSouth MiamiSurfsideNewportWest SlopeEdwards

Places built like South Miami

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how South Miami performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
South Miami, FL22.4%8.8%/yr13.6%
Lincolnia, VA21.1%5.1%/yrn/aCompare
Idylwood, VA20.4%1.1%/yrn/aCompare
Greenbriar, VA19.6%7.0%/yrn/aCompare
Hyattsville, MD24.0%2.4%/yr-0.1%Compare
Groveton, VA21.4%1.4%/yrn/aCompare
Miami Springs, FL19.9%7.1%/yr-1.8%Compare

Common questions

Is South Miami a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 47 out of 100, better than 47% of the places we rate and 118th of 474 in Florida. Population change sped up in the latest estimate: +4.3% from 2024 to 2025, against +2.2% a year before that. On cost, space and class size it scores 22 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is South Miami expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 22.4% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $829,400.

What salary do you need to live in South Miami?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $70,560 a year. Work it out from your current city.

Is South Miami safe?

There were 318 reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents, against 192 in the typical place.

What places are similar to South Miami?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Surfside, FL, Newport, RI, West Slope, OR and Edwards, CO.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  8. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  9. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  10. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  11. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  12. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  13. Crime Data Explorer · Federal Bureau of Investigation · 2025 data
  14. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  15. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  16. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  17. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares South Miami with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for South Miami itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/south-miami-florida

Citytistics. “South Miami, Florida.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/south-miami-florida/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.