Miami Lakes is a planned town in northwest Miami-Dade, built from the 1960s on the Graham family's former dairy farm: curving tree-lined streets, dozens of lakes, neighborhoods of houses and a Main Street with restaurants and a movie theater. It's quiet, family-oriented and very Cuban, and every one of its public schools earned an A in 2026. Here's what living in Miami Lakes is like and, with official data, what it costs, how its schools rate and what to know about flooding.
What is Miami Lakes like in numbers?
Miami Lakes is an independent municipality, the Town of Miami Lakes, so we use its official Census boundaries. Figures are from the Census Bureau (American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average) unless noted otherwise.
| Indicator | Miami Lakes | Miami-Dade |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,553 | 2,738,356 |
| Residents per km² of land | 2,155 | 557 |
| Median gross rent per month | $2,120 | $1,829 |
| Median value of owner-occupied homes | $626,400 | $463,000 |
| Median household income | $101,557 | $71,753 |
| Owner-occupied households | 59.8% | 52.2% |
| Adults with a college degree | 43.7% | 34.4% |
| Foreign-born | 48.2% | 54.5% |
| Speak Spanish at home | 83.3% | 66.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 20.0% |
| People per household | 2.86 | 2.76 |
| Average commute | 32.9 min | 30.9 min |
| Households without a car | 3.5% | 9.8% |
| Single-family homes | 63.3% | 48.7% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1980 |
| Renters spending over 30% of income on rent | 44.4% | 60.9% |
| Land in a high-risk flood zone (FEMA) | 79.1% | 33.8% in the City of Miami |
These are five-year medians: current listings are usually higher. We explain each figure in the method note.
What is it like to live in Miami Lakes?
This land was the dairy farm of state senator Ernest "Cap" Graham. In 1962, his family began building a planned town here, following a master plan by landscape architect Lester Collins: curving, shaded streets, man-made lakes, separate areas for homes, shops, offices and industry, and a town center with a main street. One of Cap Graham's sons, Bob Graham, later became governor of Florida and a U.S. senator. Residents voted to incorporate in December 2000.
The result is a place unlike the rest of the county, which follows a grid of straight streets: here the streets wrap around the lakes, there are more than a hundred parks, mini-parks and trails, and neighborhoods have the feel of an orderly suburb. It's a town of families and of people who work in Doral, Hialeah, the airport or downtown.
Life happens in Spanish: 83% of residents speak it at home, and 59% are of Cuban origin. But the setting is more suburban, and incomes are higher than in neighboring Hialeah: the median household income is over $100,000 a year.
What is there to do in Miami Lakes?
Main Street
The heart of Miami Lakes is Main Street, with shaded brick walkways, shops, restaurants, a movie theater and a hotel. There's a farmers market on Saturdays. Miami's tourism bureau highlights, among others:
- Korner67, tapas with international flavors.
- Chela's, Mexican, with a patio.
- Amazonia Nikkei, Peruvian-Japanese cuisine.
- Main Street Players, a local theater company founded in 1974, with a children's theater.
As always, check recent reviews, because places change.
Parks and the outdoors
- The lakes that give the town its name: the tourism bureau counts 32. Many homes face the lakes, and trails and greenways let you get around town on foot or by bike.
- Miami Lakes Optimist Park, with sports fields, courts, a walking path and picnic pavilions.
- Royal Oaks Park, with fields, green space, a playground, a bike path and a butterfly garden.
- Veterans Park, tree-shaded, with a community center and a walking path.
- Miami Lakes Golf Club, a semi-private 18-hole course.
How much does it cost to live in Miami Lakes?
Six in ten homes are single-family, many from the 1970s to the 1990s and set along the lakes, with newer condos and apartments near Main Street. 60% of households own their home.
- Renting: the median rent is $2,120 a month, above the county. Even so, the pressure is lower than elsewhere: 44.4% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on rent, compared with 60.9% countywide. If you have no credit history, read how to rent in Miami without a credit history.
- Buying: the median value is $626,400. Many neighborhoods have a homeowners association with rules and fees: ask for them before you buy. We explain it in our guide to buying property in Miami.
Current price: According to Zillow, in September 2026 the typical value of a house in Miami Lakes was $733,000 (+2.1% over a year) and of a condo, $303,000 (−2.2%). We compare it with other areas, along with rent and flood insurance, in Miami home prices by area, updated every month. Work out what it would cost you to live here →
How good are the schools in Miami Lakes?
Miami Lakes has 5 public schools graded by the Florida Department of Education, and in 2026 all of them earned an A:
| School | Grades | 2026 grade |
|---|---|---|
| Miami Lakes K-8 Center | Pre-K to 8 | A |
| Bob Graham Education Center | Pre-K to 8 | A |
| Miami Lakes Middle | 6 to 8 | A |
| Barbara Goleman Senior High | 9 to 12 | A |
| Miami Lakes Educational Center Senior High | 9 to 12 | A |
Miami Lakes Educational Center is also a technical college with career training for adults. According to the county's records, there are 18 private centers, many of them daycares and preschools, including Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic School.
How do you get around Miami Lakes?
- Car: the usual way to get around; only 3.5% of households don't have one. The town sits next to the Palmetto Expressway (SR 826) and I-75, with quick access to Doral, Hialeah and the airport. The average commute is 32.9 minutes.
- Freebee: the town has a free on-demand ride service, booked through an app, for getting around within the municipality.
- Bus and rail: there's no Metrorail; several Metrobus routes serve the town, and the nearest Metrorail and Tri-Rail stations are in Hialeah.
Is Miami Lakes safe?
According to the FBI, the Miami Lakes police recorded 41 violent crimes and 783 property crimes per 100,000 residents in 2025. The U.S. averages that year were 330 and 1,552. Violent crime is 88% below the national average, and it fell 55% from 2024.
Within each area, risk changes from one street to the next: visit by day and by night before deciding. Compare it with other areas in Miami crime rates by area.
Does Miami Lakes flood?
- Flood zone: according to FEMA's current map, 79.1% of the land is in a high-risk zone, all of it zone AE.
- Hurricane evacuation: the entire town is outside the storm surge zones.
It's a low-lying area with many lakes and canals, and the risk comes mainly from rain, not the ocean. Before renting or buying, look up the exact address on the FEMA flood map and ask for the flood disclosure required by Florida law. We explain how to insure yourself in our guide to home and flood insurance in Miami.
What are the pros and cons of Miami Lakes?
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Every public school rated A | 79% of the land in a high-risk flood zone |
| Planned, green and quiet town | No Metrorail: you need a car |
| Life in Spanish | Rent above the county median |
| Main Street with restaurants and a movie theater | Little nightlife |
| Outside the hurricane evacuation zones | Association fees in many neighborhoods |
Who is Miami Lakes right for?
A good fit if: you have children and want good public schools, you want to live in Spanish in an orderly, green setting, you work in Doral, Hialeah or at the airport, or you want a quieter alternative to Hialeah with newer homes.
Maybe not for you if: you want to live without a car, you're looking for the beach or nightlife, or flood insurance is a concern.
Similar neighborhoods: if you want lower rents and a train, read our guide to Hialeah; if you want newer homes and A-rated schools near the airport, the one on Doral; and if you want houses with yards in the southwest, the one on Kendall.
Want to compare them all? Read our guide to Miami neighborhoods: where to live based on what you want.
Frequently asked questions
Is Miami Lakes part of Miami?
No. It has been an independent municipality since December 2000, in Miami-Dade County, northwest of the City of Miami and next to Hialeah.
Are Miami Lakes schools good?
All five graded public schools inside the town earned an A in 2026, from elementary to high school. Always check the school assigned to your exact address.
How much does it cost to rent in Miami Lakes?
The Census median rent is $2,120 a month (2020-2024), above the county median. Current listings are usually higher.
Does Miami Lakes flood?
79.1% of the land is in a high-risk zone according to FEMA, mainly from rain, not the ocean: the entire town is outside the hurricane evacuation zones. Always check the exact address.
How many lakes does Miami Lakes have?
Miami's tourism bureau counts 32 lakes. They were part of the town's original plan, which began construction in 1962.
Method note
We use the official Census boundaries of the Town of Miami Lakes. Population, housing, income, language, origin and transportation figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2020-2024 five-year average). Density is our own calculation, based on land area. We calculated the share of land in flood and evacuation zones by overlaying that boundary on FEMA's current flood map and the storm surge planning zones published by Miami-Dade County, based on land area. Schools are located using the county's open data, and grades are the Florida Department of Education's official 2026 grades.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020-2024)
- Florida Department of Education: 2026 school grades
- Miami-Dade County Open Data: FEMA flood zones, storm surge planning zones and schools
- FEMA: Flood Map Service Center
- Wikipedia: Miami Lakes, Florida
- Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau: Miami Lakes guide
- Miami-Dade County: Town of Miami Lakes 2023 municipal workshop (Freebee)