The 10 Best Miami Suburbs To Live In For 2024


The best Miami suburbs are Key Biscayne and Palmetto Bay for 2024 based on Saturday Night Science.

While big cities like Miami offer culture, cuisine, and charisma, they also deliver terrible traffic, towering expenses, and a taxing quality of life.

With that in mind, we wanted to uncover the best suburbs around Miami. These burbs have all of the benefits of being near Miami without actually having to be in the city.

Of course, not all suburbs of Miami are created equally, which is precisely why we set out to find the best ones. Using Saturday Night Science, we delve into the factors that matter most, from commutes and housing costs to community vibes, to help you uncover the perfect suburban spots in the Greater Miami area.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table


What’s the best suburb of Miami? Key Biscayne ranks as the best suburb of Miami for 2024 based on the most recent Census and FBI data. If you happen to be a resident of Key Biscayne, you’re probably not too surprised to find it on the top our list.

We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 Miami ‘burbs better than the rest–but first, a bit about our methodology.

Feel free to check out some more reading about Florida:

The 10 Best Miami Suburbs To Live For 2024

Key Biscayne, FL

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 14,572
Median Income: $173,015
Unemployment Rate: 4.1%
Poverty Rate: 8.4%
More on Key Biscayne: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Key Biscayne is always mentioned as one of the best suburbs in the Miami area. We’ll tell you the good about “Awesome Key Biscayne.”

Everyone here is rich; families average $173,015 a year, which is the 2nd highest in the Miami region. And only 4.12% are out of work. Homes average more than $1,568,763 each.

Palmetto Bay, FL

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

9
/10

Population: 24,267
Median Income: $144,987
Unemployment Rate: 3.6%
Poverty Rate: 5.2%
More on Palmetto Bay: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Palmetto Bay is the second best ‘burb we looked at near Miami for 2024.

It ranks 4th for incomes in the area and only 4.75% of residents lack insurance, good for 4th best.

Southwest Ranches, FL

Source: Wikipedia User | CC BY 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

8.5
/10

Population: 7,589
Median Income: $165,556
Unemployment Rate: 1.6%
Poverty Rate: 4.7%
More on Southwest Ranches: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Here in Southwest Ranches, it’s really safe, and residents are just about as rich as you’ll see in the Miami metro area.

The bad side? Schools are more crowded, and the cost of living puts a large part of the city out of reach for most families.

But price is based on demand and a lot of people want to live in Southwest Ranches.

Weston, FL

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

9.5
/10

Population: 68,029
Median Income: $132,832
Unemployment Rate: 3.6%
Poverty Rate: 5.8%
More on Weston: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Weston ranks as the 4th best suburb of Miami for 2024.

You won’t find many better places to raise your kids in the region than in Weston and the schools are some of the best around.

Review Of Weston by HomeSnacks User

Weston is very safe very quiet place to live. All of the neighborhoods’ associations are strict and keep the communities looking very nice. The schools are good but are overflowing. They used to be great but not anymore. There is a large Venezuelan community that started moving here in the last 10 years. It’s almost not necessary to speak English here. There are a lot of restaurants to choose from and businesses. A lot of small parks for kids to play in, activities for kids and also a large dog park at Markham Park. Highways are extremely accessible from both sides of the city and we’re 10 minutes away from Sawgrass Mills. City buses and 18 wheelers are not allowed through the city so it’s very quiet. Weston has a lot of restrictions but that’s what keeps the city very safe and clean. There is also a large regional park and the YMCA and community center are both inside the park. We have an athletic club and tons of karate schools, music schools, gyms, learning centers etc. Cleaveland Clinic is also here and plenty of spas and doctors offices. All in all it is a very family friendly city and they have done a great job in making sure you don’t need to leave Weston, we have everything here.

Schools are very overcrowded because there are so many people who want to live here. Cypress Bay High School is a very good school but it’s huge. There are two middle schools Falcon Cove and Tequesta Trace and five elementary schools. There are also private schools, Sagemont and Weston Christian Academy and plenty of pre-schools.

Pinecrest, FL

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

7.5
/10

Population: 18,279
Median Income: $178,095
Unemployment Rate: 4.9%
Poverty Rate: 6.5%
More on Pinecrest: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Coming in as the fifth best is Pinecrest.

Pinecrest gets kudos for having the most expensive homes in the Miami area, where houses sell for an average of $1,909,075. However, the cost of living here is among the highest in the area.

Miami Lakes, FL

Source: Wikipedia User Farragutful | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

8.5
/10

Population: 30,621
Median Income: $90,339
Unemployment Rate: 3.2%
Poverty Rate: 4.6%
More on Miami Lakes: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Miami Lakes is proud of its 6th place finish on this list. And here’s why.

Most residents have great jobs and the unemployment rate sits at 3.24%.

According to online reports, Miami Lakes is quickly becoming one of the more affluent suburbs in the Miami area, meaning you need to get in soon.

Review Of Miami Lakes by HomeSnacks User

I love how Miami lakes is so beautiful and safe also very quiet. They have many markets and places to eat they are a nice people also in Miami lakes.

The area is very good and the people are friendly.

Surfside, FL

Source: Wikipedia User | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility

8.5
/10

Population: 5,625
Median Income: $73,160
Unemployment Rate: 3.6%
Poverty Rate: 14.0%
More on Surfside: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

The 7th best suburb on our list goes to Surfside.

Surfside schools are some of the best in the region, and crime is really low. The cost of living makes it a lot more desirable for many families, especially first-time home buyers.

And, it’s only 8.8 miles to downtown, which is a good thing.

Bay Harbor Islands, FL

Source: Flickr User miamism | CC BY 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

9
/10

Population: 5,843
Median Income: $73,587
Unemployment Rate: 3.4%
Poverty Rate: 8.8%
More on Bay Harbor Islands: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Bay Harbor Islands is growing quickly, and for a good reason. Crime is far below average, and most residents are gainfully employed. Even the cost of living is reasonable.

A solid 13.89% of people lack insurance, good for 28th in the area.

Coral Gables, FL

Source: Wikipedia User Averette | CC BY 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

9
/10

Population: 49,696
Median Income: $118,203
Unemployment Rate: 4.8%
Poverty Rate: 9.5%
More on Coral Gables: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

Is ‘Everything Better In Coral Gables?’

Almost.

It placed 9th on our list thanks to the fact that it’s really expensive to live here, but the schools are great, so you get what you pay for in that regard.

Review Of Coral Gables by HomeSnacks User

Coral Gables is a world-class neighborhood. The school system is one of the best in the nation and crime is almost non-existent. Aside from high real estate prices, definitely the place to be.

Miracle mile is definitely the highlight of Coral Gables. A fun place to walk around, shop and dine to your heart’s content.

Miami Shores, FL

Source: Wikipedia User Averette | CC BY 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

8.5
/10

Population: 11,638
Median Income: $120,833
Unemployment Rate: 7.0%
Poverty Rate: 7.4%
More on Miami Shores: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate

And rounding out the top ten for 2024 is Miami Shores.

This city is far above average in every category, and the best part? It’s far more affordable than the other cities listed above. So, you get a big bang for your buck here.

Methodology: How We Determined The Best Suburbs Around Miami for 2024

Figuring out the best suburbs around Miami was simple. We used Saturday Night Science to find things people like about living in the suburbs and then locate the suburbs with those things.

We analyzed the newest American Community Survey data for 2018-2022 to research each suburb. We decided upon the following criteria:

  • Low unemployment rate
  • High median household incomes
  • Population density (lots of things to do)
  • High home values
  • A lot of college-educated people
  • Low poverty
  • High rate of insured families

We defined a suburb as being within 30 miles of Miami.

Additionally, we limited the analysis to places that have over 2,000 people. This left us with a grand total of 48 suburbs to evaluate around Miami.

We ranked each place with scores from 1 to 48 in each category, where 1 was the “best.

Next, we averaged the rankings for each place to create a quality-of-life index.

Finally, we crowned the city with the best quality of life index, the “Best Suburb near Miami.” We’re lookin’ at you, Key Biscayne.

This result may differ from our state-wide data as we did not include commute times and crime for this analysis to allow for a more extensive selection of suburbs.

We updated the data for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the best Miami suburbs. Skip to the end to see the list of all the suburbs ranked from best to worst.

Summary: Welcome to the Best Miami ‘Burbs of 2024

We said it once, and we’ll say it again–life in the big city isn’t for everyone. At least not all the time.

The best suburbs of Miami are .

So if you’re craving the amenities of a larger city like Miami but don’t want to deal with the drawbacks, one of these suburbs might be for you.

For more Florida reading, check out:

Table: Best Miami Suburbs

Rank City Population Median Income Average Home Price
1 Key Biscayne, FL 14,572 $173,015 $1,568,763
2 Palmetto Bay, FL 24,267 $144,987 $962,359
3 Southwest Ranches, FL 7,589 $165,556 $1,256,520
4 Weston, FL 68,029 $132,832 $717,713
5 Pinecrest, FL 18,279 $178,095 $1,909,075
6 Miami Lakes, FL 30,621 $90,339 $630,644
7 Surfside, FL 5,625 $73,160 $1,161,290
8 Bay Harbor Islands, FL 5,843 $73,587 $608,277
9 Coral Gables, FL 49,696 $118,203 $1,354,428
10 Miami Shores, FL 11,638 $120,833 $1,025,122
11 Wilton Manors, FL 11,451 $81,424 $603,112
12 Miami Springs, FL 13,729 $88,196 $678,387
13 Aventura, FL 39,621 $75,211 $510,079
14 Islandia, FL 3,568 $109,964 $517,523
15 Sunny Isles Beach, FL 22,202 $57,145 $701,954
16 South Miami, FL 11,944 $78,830 $897,891
17 Biscayne Park, FL 3,098 $69,830 $888,928
18 Florida, FL 2,937 $112,188 $406,893
19 West Miami, FL 7,104 $73,525 $620,895
20 Bal Harbour, FL 3,035 $86,172 $1,722,574
21 Doral, FL 74,891 $83,823 $534,476
22 Cooper, FL 2,034 $80,139 $471,206
23 Pembroke Pines, FL 170,472 $77,657 $485,196
24 Miramar, FL 135,158 $81,812 $506,754
25 Virginia Gardens, FL 2,419 $75,455 $552,168
26 Miami Beach, FL 82,400 $65,116 $525,643
27 Cutler Bay, FL 44,738 $78,569 $531,378
28 Davie, FL 105,821 $84,346 $517,729
29 Hialeah Gardens, FL 22,815 $58,497 $415,761
30 Fort Lauderdale, FL 182,673 $75,376 $534,210
31 Sunrise, FL 96,510 $66,001 $372,339
32 Hialeah, FL 222,996 $49,531 $445,753
33 North Miami Beach, FL 43,269 $56,122 $452,270
34 Hollywood, FL 152,764 $61,958 $452,509
35 Tamarac, FL 71,578 $59,140 $317,289
36 Sweetwater, FL 19,399 $53,159 $423,752
37 Oakland Park, FL 44,056 $64,989 $380,204
38 Miami Gardens, FL 111,618 $56,071 $440,066
39 Hallandale Beach, FL 41,102 $45,417 $328,630
40 West Park, FL 15,074 $58,712 $403,262
41 Lauderhill, FL 73,987 $48,523 $233,276
42 North Miami, FL 59,854 $49,069 $401,072
43 Dania Beach, FL 31,700 $46,330 $373,346
44 Homestead, FL 79,996 $57,739 $423,264
45 Lauderdale Lakes, FL 35,914 $41,644 $162,956
46 Pembroke Park, FL 6,266 $41,875 $256,411
47 Opa Locka, FL 16,230 $30,101 $356,499
48 Florida City, FL 12,841 $44,774 $349,441
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.