Best Neighborhoods in Miami

The only city in the US surrounded by two state parks: Biscayne National Park and Everglades National Park (which is 1.5 million acres of swampland, alligators, snakes, birds and crocodiles), Miami is the destination of choice for people who love fun in the sun, sand and surf.

Miami is also the only U.S. city that was founded by a woman. Julia Tuttle arrived from Cleveland in 1874, looked out on what was then a giant swamp, and liked what she saw. She built a city and it was incorporated in 1896.

Miami Beach, which is technically an island off the mainland, is famous for its art deco district, featuring some of the best examples of art deco architecture in the country. It’s an instant step back into the 1930s.

The port of Miami is the busiest cruise port in the world. It’s also home to the largest cruise ships in the world. It typically sees nearly 4 million passengers per year.

You don’t have to look too hard to find famous people who call Miami home. Authors like Patricia Cornwell, Marjorie Stoneman Douglas, Jeff Lindsay (Dexter Morgan books) and  Thomas Harris (Hannibal Lecter books) live in Miami.

So do actors Andy Garcia, Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson, Sidney Poitier and Sofia Vergara. Miami residents Gloria Estefan, Pitbull, Camila Cabello, Flo Rida and Ricky Martin all draw on the Latin vibes, perhaps from the large Cuban-American population. Miami is definitely a popular spot for the rich and famous.

Miami is home to the largest Cuban-American population in the USA, with 60% of Cuban immigrants calling Little Havana in the Miami area home. Lemon City on the shore of Biscayne Bay predates the founding of Miami, and was home to Bahamian ex-pats.

There were at least three distinct black communities in the area before a drastic demographic shift changed things. Fast-forward a couple of decades, and it is now home to a bustling Haitian population in an area renamed Little Haiti.

Sure, Miami is a great place to hit the beach, but is it a good place to live? We looked at demographics, housing, crime and safety and compiled an alphabetical list of some of Miami’s best neighborhoods.

Brickell

Niche.com lists Brickell as the No. 1 neighborhood in the Miami area to live, and the No. 1 area to raise a family, earning it an overall A+ rating, including top marks for nightlife, health and fitness, an A for commute, weather and good for families, and an A- for diversity

Brickell lies south of the Miami River, with the southern part of the neighborhood full of low and mid-rise residential buildings. It’s also just east of Little Havana, and part of East Brickell has been absorbed by Little Havana over the years. On Brickell’s Key, once called Claughton Island, a gated community of high-end condos rise from a manmade island constructed in 1896.

The median household income is $79,179, and a whopping 72% of the population have a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or higher. That makes sense for a neighborhood just south of the central business district and the heart of the financial district. Most people (67%) rent, and the median rent is $2,103, not quite double the national average of $1,062, according to Niche.

Coconut Grove

Established in 1873, Coconut Grove is the oldest neighborhood in Miami. Just south of downtown Miami and overlooking Biscayne Bay. Niche gives it an overall A+, including A+ for health and fitness, A for outdoor activities, diversity, nightlife and good for families and an A- for public schools and commuting.

The median house price is $737,714, and 60% own their homes. Privacy doesn’t come cheap. Twenty-three percent of residents have kids, and it’s a well educated group, with 63% having either a bachelor's degree or a master’s degree or higher.

Since its founding, “The Grove” has drawn A-list celebrities from Alexander Graham Bell to Tennessee Williams to LeBron James to Jimmy Buffett to Madonna, and has always exuded a bohemian vibe. It has several gated communities that don’t take kindly to strangers, and 24/7 police presence, making Coconut Grove one of the safest communities in Miami-Dade county.

The Vizcaya Museum and Gardens was constructed between 1914 and 1922, and was originally the family home of James Deering, a retired millionaire who had moved to Miami hoping the weather would help a health condition.

The property is located in Coconut Grove on Biscayne Bay and surrounded by sub-tropical forest. The architecture represents an interpretation of an Italian villa, adapted to the subtropical climate. The museum and gardens are open to the public, and houses a collection of Italian furniture showcasing many different time periods, including Rococo, Neo-classical and Renaissance.

The garden features a fountain crafted in 1722 by Filippo Barigioni, busts and statues from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, as well as works by contemporary American artists including Gaston Lachaise, Charles Cary Rumsey and Robert Winthrop Chanler.

The Roads

The Roads, originally called Brickell Hammock, was designed by Mary Brickell in 1922 to be a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood, intending it to be properties for people who otherwise couldn’t afford a home. It has since become one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Miami.

Niche rates The Roads an overall A-, with A+ for nightlife, A for weather and health and fitness, and A- for outdoor activities, commute and good for families. Located just a mile west of downtown, The Roads is more like a village with wide tree-lined streets and roundabouts, and native plants and flowers.

Seventy-three percent of residents in The Roads rent, and the median rent is $1,592. Median housing price, in contrast, is $544,378. A quarter of the residents have children, and median income is $40,790.

With so much happening in Miami all the time, you might need a place to keep some of your gear. Or if you’re just moving here, let us help you with some extra space. Storage Post has a convenient location in Little Havana with a wide range of self-storage units, including climate-controlled options, 24-7 access and security, elevators and drive-up access.