North Miami Relocating Guide

North Miami (not to be confused with North Beach, Miami) is a suburban residential city in northeast Miami Dade County. If a “picture perfect” housing community had a face, it would perhaps look like North Miami.

This city has been a top choice among potential movers for various reasons. In this post, we’re going to explore those reasons. We urge you to go through the entire guide to learn about the history of the place, the quality of living, education, the economy, and everything else that matters. Once you’re done, you’ll know for yourself whether to move to North Miami or not.

Read: Check out our real estate guide on Golden Beach, FL too.

North Miami At a Glance

Unlike most other areas in Miami Dade, North Miami’s history goes past the 20^th century. It’s the birthplace of Dade County’s first-ever road, the 8-foot trail dug by the US Army in 1856. The goal of the trail was to connect Fort Lauderdale with Fort Dallas.

It even connected to a unique limestone bridge that stood for hundreds of years during the inhabition of Indians. This area was known as Arch Creek during that time and it was one of the first areas in Miami Dade county that attracted adventurers.

By 1890, Mr. Ilhe became the largest land owner after he bought 80 acres from the Florida State Government. He turned it into a farm where you used to grow squash, banana, sugar cane, lemons, pineapples, and whatnot.

By 1905, the first post office and school were built in the former Arch Creek area. Within the next 7 years, the area saw the growth of a church, a blacksmith shop, a general store, etc. At this time, the population was still under 100!

Until the 1920s, agriculture was the backbone of the economy of this area. At the same time, the farmlands were seriously prone to flooding. To solve this issue, the infamous Biscayne Canal was dug in 1924.

While it removed the excess flood from the area, it resulted in the soil becoming infertile, making agriculture not so profitable anymore. However, the new dynamic of the land boosted the Florida land boom for development purposes.

So far, this area is called Arch Creek and not North Miami. In 1926, 37 out of 48 voters showed up and voted for the area to be incorporated as a town. At that time, it was named the “Town of Miami Shores” because one of the city boundaries used to be the Atlantic Ocean.

After the 2^nd world war, the economy and population of North Miami grew beyond everyone’s imagination. Lots of war veterans chose North Miami as their new hometown. Their young families apparently changed everything. North Miami High School opened in 1954, the city’s first high school! In 1953, the town was reincorporated into a city and was renamed the “City of North Miami”.

Population and Geography

As North Miami is a suburban city, the population was never out of control. Also, the growth rate is pretty minuscule compared to some other cities in Miami Dade County. As per reports of the 2020 census by the US Bureau, North Miami has a population of 60,191.

The people who live in this picturesque city are divided into many races and ethnicities. White people take up only 11% of the population. North Miami is primarily occupied by blacks or African American who make up more than 50% of the population.

The rest are Hispanic/Latino, Pacific Islanders, and Asians. It means you can expect quite the diversity in terms of neighborhood. But you’ll surely see more black people than other races.

The number is substantially low for a city possessing over 10 square miles in area. Around 8.5 square miles of this area is land while the rest is water. North Miami falls under area codes 305 and 786.

As for geography, North Miami has a slightly higher elevation at 7 feet. It’s not enough to protect it from the regular Florida floods but just enough to protect the major architecture from severe damage.

The temperature in North Miami is relatively higher than in some other cities and villages. The average is anywhere between 62 degrees and 85 degrees. That’s quite a broad range which means you’ll get the dreaded wet heat of Florida as well as the cool breeze of winter.

And during the Monsoon season, you’ll get the tropical monsoon with lots of rain and precipitation.

What’s North Miami’s Economy Like?

Before you move to any new city, it only makes sense that you want to know how the economy is. Otherwise, you run the risk of hurting your existing business or the possibility of setting up a new business. Thankfully, North Miami has a growing economy so you can set those fears aside.

There is a labor force of 29,969 in North Miami with only a 2.9% unemployment rate. Among all the employees, 70% are busy with their white-collar jobs while 29% are focused on blue-collar jobs. The remaining 1% do odd jobs or are students.

With a median household income of $48,714, there is plenty of room for the economy to grow. Among the residents, almost 47% own the property which is a great percentage if you’re considering buying a new home in North Miami.

Quality of Education in North Miami

By looking at the school options and the performance of the school district, you can tell a lot about a city. Being a small city, there are not many options to choose from if you don’t want to drive out. The 5 schools you can consider in North Miami are:

• Natural Bridge Elementary School
• David Lawrence Jr. K-8 Center
• Archcreek Elementary School
• J. Bryan Elementary School
• Benjamin Franklin K-8 Center

For higher education, however, you will need to drive out of the city. The potential options are:

• Beth Jacob High School
• Mavericks High
• Sha’arei Bina Torah Academy for Girls
• North Miami Beach Senior High School
• Barry University
• Vargas University
• Miami Dade College
• University of Miami

Things to Do in North Miami

No matter what part of Miami Dade County you’re in, you won’t fall short of things to do. Especially when you live in a city like North Miami, located only 10 miles from the Magic City.

In this section, let us take you through the locations you can visit and the activities you can participate in to have fun in North Miami.

Country Club of Miami

Who doesn’t like a good golf course, right? What about 2 golf courses in the same facility? Yes, you read that right. And we’re talking about none other than the Country Club of Miami. The West Course and the East Course have 72 par and 70 par respectively to cater to all kinds of golf players.

Located at 6801 NW 186^th, Hialeah, this place is open 7 days a week. Of course, the rates are higher during the weekdays due to increased demand. Along with playing golf, you can dine at the in-house restaurant too. This could be the perfect weekend plan with friends if you’re all into golf.

Claude Pepper Park

As an initiative by the Parks and Recreation Department of the North Miami city council, Claude Pepper Park is an excellent place for a retreat. You can even rent it for various private parties. It has a very nice hiking trail for those of you who like adventures. At the same time, the trail is quite simple so it’s accessible to people of all ages.

Spanish Monastery

A very popular North Miami in-house joke is that you’ll find more people who speak Spanish than people who speak English! It’s simple because this area still has a very high concentration of Cuban people.

To keep aligned with the theme, you must visit the Spanish Monastery. This is often considered one of the most complex jigsaw puzzles in the world! Apparently, this place is almost 1,000 years old, constructed in the 12^th century. It was brought to the US and disassembled all the way from Northern Spain!

Oleta River State Park

Rivers and parks go hand in hand in Florida. The Oleta River State Park is no different. The Oleta River has always been a hangout place for adventure enthusiasts in Miami Dade. The place looks straight out of a professional photographer’s landscape!

To maintain a healthy balance of crowd, the park authority regulates entry and exit. If the park reaches its maximum capacity, no one can enter unless someone leaves. You can go swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding, mountain biking, or any other outdoor activity you can think of.

Miami Holocaust Memorial

This is truly a gem among all the vibrant Miami establishments. No one even thinks that there can be a holocaust memorial right in the heart of Miami Beach! But there is. The Miami Holocaust Memorial is located at 1933-1945 Meridian Avenue.

Established in the 1980s by a group of holocaust survivors, this place is open for public visits. It’s aligned with the massive Jewish community that’s spread across South Florida.

Art & Culture

The art & culture of a city is a great way to get to know people as well as to make new friends. Whether you’re trying to do that or you’re simply an art enthusiast, you should check the following places out!

The Miami Children’s Museum

As the name suggests, it’s a museum specifically designed for children. Florida is hot and humid. Everyone knows that. Summer adventures are cool and all until you have children in the mix. To protect the mild souls from extreme heat as well as to provide entertainment, this museum was built.

The place is located between South Beach and Miami. The activities inside revolve around science, art, nature, and culture to let the kids learn while having fun.

Milander Center for Arts & Culture

Although this is in Hialeah, you should make the time for the drive if you consider yourself an enthusiast. The building has been renovated very recently, making it one of the must-see places in the greater Miami area.

Needless to say, you’ll mostly go there to witness exhibitions. The best artists from all over the world host exhibitions here. Make sure to check the schedule before going in.

Places to Eat & Drink

No matter where in the US you live, the appeal of good food will never go away! At the same time, you can’t help but notice the vibrant food culture in Miami Dade when you go for the initial visit. Every city has a different array of restaurants that you can check out. North Miami is no different.

Here are the best restaurants you should check out.

• Deluce Tropical Bakery & Cafe: If you’re yet to try Venezuelan desserts, you’re in luck! The Deluce Tropical Bakery is a great place in North Miami to taste some Cachitos.
• Alaska Coffee Roasting Co.: A good cup of cappuccino can make your day. If you’re in the Biscayne Blvd area sometime, don’t forget to try Alaska Coffee Roasting Co. The ambiance of this place is simply out of this world!
• Bourbon Steak: In case you’re a fan of gourmet steaks, you have Bourbon Steak at 19999 W Country Club. It’s an upscale restaurant specializing in fine dining for meat lovers. The menu includes pretty much all kinds of steaks known to men. So, go crazy!

Highways and Transportation

If we have to talk about the transportation services in the city, we have to mention NOMI Express. It’s North Miami’s free bus service. For residents, there are bicycle network plans in motion as you’re reading this piece.

The city is quite small and it’s on the closer end of the Atlantic Ocean. As a result, there are no major US highways that go through it. But roads like I-95 Express and Florida Turnpike are minute’s drive. However, if you’re moving during the peak hour, expect traffic at the intersection.

Political Status

Following a similar approach to most other incorporated cities in Miami Dade County, North Miami has a council-manager government system. The current city manager is Theresa Therilus, Esq. who is responsible to carry out the day-to-day operations of the city.

The city manager in this government system is selected by the mayor while the mayor is elected by the residents. The city clerk, on the other hand, is chosen by the residents. The current city clerk of North Miami is Vanessa Joseph, Esq. Interestingly, the majority of cities in Florida have come out of the elected clerk approach. North Miami is one of the few remaining ones that still do it.

The city council remains in power for 4 years, until the next election. One mayor can serve up to 2 terms.