Sunny Isles Beach receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Sunny Isles Beach
Miami Gardens
Opportunity
74 · Top 15%
vs51 · Bottom 40%
Growth
76 · Top 8%
vs47 · Bottom 44%
Climate
77 · Top 24%
vs77 · Top 24%
Physical resilience
24 · Bottom 19%
vs24 · Bottom 19%
Housing affordability
9 · Bottom 1%
vs38 · Bottom 3%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
28 · Bottom 5%
vs55 · Bottom 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Sunny Isles Beach | Miami Gardens | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,437 | 113,177 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,921 | $63,627 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $59,467 | $26,595 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 22,193/sq mi | 6,125/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $549,100 | $378,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,096 | $1,787 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.2% | 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 | 53.2% | 18.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.3% | 13.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 254 | 83 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.3 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 59°F | 59°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 62.0" | 62.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.3 min | 34.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 47.5 | 39.4 | 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
Sunny Isles Beach
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.
Sunny Isles Beach
55
Your Score
55
Area Score
Miami Gardens
50
Your Score
45
Area Score
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Full profiles: Sunny Isles Beach, FL · Miami Gardens, FL · How this is calculated: methodology