Places › Florida › Miami Beach

Living in Miami Beach, FL

Beach town in Florida

Miami Beach is a beach town in Florida, home to about 81,000 people, with 4.1 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, you can walk or take transit almost everywhere. Life moves at a very fast pace, and homes are mostly apartments.

Is Miami Beach a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 12 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Easy flying: MIA is 9 mi away
  • Lots of culture: museums, zoos and attractions nearby
  • Highly educated: 51% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, and 3 research universities are within 31 mi

👎 Cons

  • Fewer family amenities than most places
  • Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $2.31M, and rent is $3,360 a month
  • Few dog parks: 20 within 9 mi
  • Higher crime: violent crime is 2.4× the US rate (FBI 2019)

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Miami Beach ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
81,000
4.1 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
75°F / 87°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$2.31M
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$3,360/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
114
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
No income tax
State income tax per resident · 0.95% property tax
Safety
2.4× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
12 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly hurricanes, coastal flooding
Top-rated hospitals
12
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
51%
3 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
MIA
9 mi away

Living in Miami Beach: common questions

What is the cost of living in Miami Beach?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $2.31M, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $3,360 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 114, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Miami Beach?

Florida has no state income tax, and homeowners here pay about 0.95% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Miami Beach safe?

Violent crime is well above the national rate (2.4× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Miami Beach?

Miami Beach is warm all year: winter days average around 75°F and summer days around 87°F.

Does Miami Beach get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from hurricanes, coastal flooding and flooding: 12 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.63 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Miami Beach?

The nearest major airport is MIA, about 9 mi away.

How Miami Beach scores

Each bar compares Miami Beach with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Big city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Dense & urban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Walk & transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Culture & nightlife Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Warm all year Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Very expensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Very fast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Anonymous AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Poor
💸Low taxes Good
💼Job market Good
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Excellent
🧸Kids & family Poor
🐕Dog-friendly Poor
⛰️Outdoors Below average
🎭Culture Excellent
🛡️Safety Higher crime
🌪️Few natural disasters Good
☀️Sunny Good
🌤️Mild summers Good
✈️Airport Excellent

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Is Miami Beach right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.