Opa-locka and Miami Gardens receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Opa-locka
Miami Gardens
Opportunity
56 · Top 50%
vs51 · Bottom 40%
Growth
65 · Top 25%
vs47 · Bottom 44%
Climate
82 · Top 12%
vs77 · Top 24%
Physical resilience
24 · Bottom 19%
vs24 · Bottom 19%
Housing affordability
10 · Bottom 1%
vs38 · Bottom 3%
Schools
15 · Bottom 6%
vs11 · Bottom 2%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
31 · Bottom 8%
vs55 · Bottom 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Opa-locka | Miami Gardens | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,282 | 113,177 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $37,532 | $63,627 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $18,160 | $26,595 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,779/sq mi | 6,125/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $295,800 | $378,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,351 | $1,787 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 28.9% | 64.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.5% | 3.8% | July 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.6% | -0.6% | July 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.9% | 18.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 29.7% | 13.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 36 | 83 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 3500.0% | 295.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 59°F | 59°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 62.7" | 62.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 2 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.6 min | 34.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.8 | 39.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 28 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.85 | 18.05 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 29.0% | 32.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 37.3% | 33.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 57.9% | 61.4% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Opa-locka
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, cold wave.
Miami Gardens
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, cold wave.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Opa-locka
48
Your Score
45
Area Score
Miami Gardens
50
Your Score
45
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Opa-locka, FL · Miami Gardens, FL · How this is calculated: methodology