South Miami receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
South Miami
Fort Lauderdale
Opportunity
82 · Top 6%
vs48 · Bottom 33%
Growth
50 · Bottom 49%
vs61 · Top 30%
Climate
81 · Top 17%
vs81 · Top 14%
Physical resilience
24 · Bottom 19%
vs21 · Bottom 14%
Housing affordability
46 · Bottom 8%
vs53 · Bottom 12%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
64 · Top 42%
vs42 · Bottom 20%
Measured values
| Metric | South Miami | Fort Lauderdale | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,277 | 185,604 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $94,507 | $83,130 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $57,328 | $59,629 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,416/sq mi | 5,367/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $829,400 | $486,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,764 | $1,854 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.2% | 54.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.5% | 4.6% | July 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.6% | -1.2% | July 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 56.3% | 40.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.0% | 15.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 20 | 970 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 5.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 17.6% | -5.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 64°F | 59°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 51.0" | 56.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.3 min | 28.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.9 | 42.8 | 2024 ACS 5-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
South Miami
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, cold wave.
Fort Lauderdale
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
South Miami
64
Your Score
60
Area Score
Fort Lauderdale
52
Your Score
48
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: South Miami, FL · Fort Lauderdale, FL · How this is calculated: methodology