Living in Miami

Miami, Mapped Neighborhood by Neighborhood

Where to live, how to get around without a car, and the water, insurance and tax questions behind every address. Built from county, city and state sources.

Browse the neighborhoods Car-free check →

Choosing a Miami neighborhood is part lifestyle and part homework. A local real estate agent, insurance agent or the county’s own offices can help with a specific address; these guides explain how each part of the city works first.

Every fact comes from public sources, such as Miami-Dade County, the City of Miami, Coral Gables, Miami Beach and Florida law, so you can check it yourself.

The rack

Pick a Postcard

Twelve guides on four shelves. Each card is a neighborhood or a question every newcomer asks; the ones you have read are stamped.

Getting StartedHow to choose a neighborhood: water, weather, transit and taxes, and getting around without a car.

Choosing an area01MiamiHow to Choose a Miami Neighborhood: Water, Weather, Transit and TaxesBefore you fall for a street, check four things the brochures skip: the storm surge planning zone, the flood history the seller must disclose, how you will get to work without a long drive, and what the Florida homestead exemption does to your tax bill.5min readSent Without a car02MiamiGetting Around Miami Without a Car: Metrorail, Metromover and the Free TrolleysHow the county’s Metrorail and free Metromover fit together with the free City of Miami, Coral Gables and Miami Beach trolleys, what a ride costs, how the daily fare cap works, and which neighborhoods are easiest to live in car-free.4min readSent

Bayfront & City CoreBrickell, Downtown, Edgewater and Wynwood: towers, the free Metromover, bayfront parks and a warehouse district turned arts neighborhood.

Brickell03MiamiLiving in Brickell: Towers, Transit and an Ancient HammockBrickell is Miami’s financial district and its densest place to live. What daily life is like around the Metromover loop and the Brickell trolley, the Simpson Park hammock, the Tequesta sites on the river, and what to check before renting or buying a tower apartment.4min readSent Downtown04MiamiLiving in Downtown Miami: The Free Metromover and a Century of HistoryDowntown Miami is where the Metromover, Metrorail and trolleys meet. A guide to living there: getting around for free, the Freedom Tower and the Downtown National Register District, Bayfront Park, and the practical questions about storms and older buildings.4min readSent Edgewater05MiamiLiving in Edgewater: Bayfront Towers North of DowntownEdgewater stretches along Biscayne Bay north of downtown, with Margaret Pace Park at its center. What it is like to live there: transit links to downtown and Wynwood, nearby parks and historic districts, and the storm and flood questions every bayfront address raises.4min readSent Wynwood06MiamiLiving in Wynwood: From Warehouses to Murals and New HousingWynwood went from a district of factories and warehouses to Miami’s best-known street art neighborhood, and since the city’s 2015 NRD-1 rules it has been adding housing. What that means for residents: the zoning, the design review, parking, the free trolley and what to ask before moving in.4min readSent

Culture & CharacterLittle Havana, Little Haiti and Coconut Grove: neighborhoods with deep roots, historic houses and parks.

Little Havana07MiamiLiving in Little Havana: Calle Ocho, Domino Park and the Cuban StoryLittle Havana, west of Brickell, grew with the Cuban exile community that passed through the Freedom Tower. A guide for new residents: the history, Domino Park and Jose Marti Park, the free trolley to Brickell, older housing and what to check before you move.4min readSent Little Haiti08MiamiLiving in Little Haiti: Afro-Caribbean Culture and a Changing NeighborhoodLittle Haiti, north of Wynwood and the Design District, is the heart of Haitian Miami. What residents should know: the city’s Little Haiti Cultural Complex, the free trolley and its parks, nearby historic districts, and the practical questions about older housing and change.4min readSent Coconut Grove09MiamiLiving in Coconut Grove: Old Trees, Bay Breezes and Pioneer HistoryCoconut Grove is one of Miami’s oldest neighborhoods, shaded by big trees on the shore of Biscayne Bay. A guide for newcomers: the Barnacle and the pioneer era, Peacock Park, Bahamian heritage, Metrorail and trolley links, and what to ask about older homes and the waterfront.4min readSent

Gables, Beach & IslandsCoral Gables, Miami Beach and Key Biscayne: a planned city, an Art Deco island and an island village.

Coral Gables10MiamiLiving in Coral Gables: The Planned City of Coral RockCoral Gables was planned from scratch in the 1920s and incorporated in 1925. What it means to live there today: George Merrick’s history, the Venetian Pool, the free trolley and Metrorail, and the strict standards that come with a city built to last.4min readSent Miami Beach11MiamiLiving on Miami Beach: Art Deco Streets, Free Trolleys and Island LifeMiami Beach is a separate city on a barrier island across the bay. What it is like to live there: the Art Deco district, the free citywide trolley, the busy tourist economy, and the storm and flood questions that come with an island address.4min readSent Key Biscayne12MiamiLiving in Key Biscayne: An Island Village Between Two ParksKey Biscayne is a small village on a barrier island south of Miami Beach, bordered by Crandon Park and Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. Its history, its parks and beaches, the causeway that links it to the mainland, and what island life means for storms and daily errands.4min readSent

Legend

How to read the map

Five Things to Check on Any Street

The symbols behind every neighborhood guide on this site.

Transit
Metrorail runs 25 miles and costs $2.25 a ride; Metromover and the city trolleys are free. Living near a station changes daily life. More in Getting Around Miami Without a Car: Metrorail, Metromover and the Free Trolleys.
Surge zone
Miami-Dade’s storm surge planning zones run from A, at risk from Category 1 storms, to E. Look up the zone for the exact address. More in How to Choose a Miami Neighborhood: Water, Weather, Transit and Taxes.
Historic district
The City of Miami has more than 100 designated sites and 10 local historic districts; exterior work there is reviewed. More in Living in Coconut Grove: Old Trees, Bay Breezes and Pioneer History.
Green space
From the hardwood hammock of Simpson Park in Brickell to the bay at Peacock Park, each neighborhood has its own parks. More in Living in Brickell: Towers, Transit and an Ancient Hammock.
Homestead
Owners who live in their home can apply for Florida’s homestead exemption by March 1, worth up to $50,000 off taxable value. More in How to Choose a Miami Neighborhood: Water, Weather, Transit and Taxes.

Car-free check

Can You Get There Without a Car?

Pick where you live and where you need to go. The route card shows the free and paid rail and trolley links between them, with hours and fares from the county and city.

I live inI need to get to

Route card

Living in Downtown Miami →

Hours and fares as published by Miami-Dade County and the cities; service changes, detours and holiday schedules apply. Check the agency’s trip planner before you rely on a route.

Questions

Unfold the Map

Short answers, each with the guide that goes further.

A1Is Metromover really free?

Yes. Miami-Dade’s Metromover is free and serves 21 stations in Brickell, downtown and the Omni area; cars come about every 90 seconds at rush hour. See Getting Around Miami Without a Car: Metrorail, Metromover and the Free Trolleys.

A2Does the City of Miami trolley go to Miami Beach?

No. Miami Beach runs its own free trolley, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, about every 20 minutes. See Living on Miami Beach: Art Deco Streets, Free Trolleys and Island Life.

A3What is a storm surge planning zone?

An area that could see a surge of 1 1/2 feet or more in a hurricane. Miami-Dade uses zones A to E and orders evacuations by zone. See How to Choose a Miami Neighborhood: Water, Weather, Transit and Taxes.

A4Does homeowners insurance cover flooding?

No. Florida’s seller flood disclosure form itself reminds buyers that homeowners policies do not cover flood damage. See How to Choose a Miami Neighborhood: Water, Weather, Transit and Taxes.

B1When is hurricane season?

June 1 to November 30, with a peak around September 10, according to the National Hurricane Center. See Living in Edgewater: Bayfront Towers North of Downtown.

B2How old is Coral Gables?

It was incorporated on April 29, 1925, after George Merrick planned it from his family’s grapefruit groves. See Living in Coral Gables: The Planned City of Coral Rock.

B3When did Miami Beach’s Art Deco district become historic?

It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on May 14, 1979. See Living on Miami Beach: Art Deco Streets, Free Trolleys and Island Life.

B4When was Key Biscayne incorporated?

The Village of Key Biscayne was incorporated on June 18, 1991. See Living in Key Biscayne: An Island Village Between Two Parks.