Opa-Locka Relocating Guide

So, you’re considering Opa-Locka as a place for your potential next move. As odd as the name of this Florida city is, this could turn out to be a gem. To know whether it is or is not, you’ll need to go through our relocation guide for Opa-Locka.

Throughout this post, we will cover different aspects of the city. They will include the regular demographic, the current economic situation, the quality of education, things to do for fun, the status of arts and culture, and whatnot!

Read: Check out our real estate guide on South Miami, FL too.

Opa-Locka At a Glance

Similar to many other cities in Miami Dade County, Opa-Locka was founded during the 1920s. It was the golden time of Florida’s infamous “land bloom”. Glenn Curtiss is credited to be the founder of Opa-Locka. The same aviation genius also laid the bricks for Miami Springs and Hialeah!

If you don’t research anything about Opa-Locka and decide to show up unannounced one day, you’re bound to be overwhelmed by the architecture. Let us share some spoilers.

When Glenn Curtiss and his associates started working on Opa-Locka properties, they took One Thousand and One Nights as the primary theme. You may know the Americanized version of the same Arabic folklore, known as the Arabian Nights.

The style of the architecture is known as Moorish Revival or Neo-Moorish architecture. In simple words, it was a revolution to bring back ancient Islamic styles of buildings.

During the 1926 Florida hurricane, a lot of the buildings got damaged and it brought the expansion of the land bloom to a stop. Thankfully, a lot of the Moorish Revival buildings survived and some of them are still standing to this day!

In fact, 20 of the original buildings are part of the National Register of Historic Places. You can visit the Opa-Locka Thematic Resource Area to witness these. More on this in a later section of our post.

The city was incorporated in 1926. Opa-Locka is also recorded as ground zero for Amelia Earhart’s historic trip around the world. In case you’re not aware, Amelia Earhart is a legend in the aviation industry. She was the first woman to fly over the Atlantic Ocean, all alone!

Amelia Earhart has been a part of Southern Florida’s culture for as long as we can remember. You can visit plenty of places named after her across the Miami Dade cities.

Among other historic references Opa-Locka is a part of, building 67 of the Opa-Locka airport is notable. It was used as a CIA operation headquarters back in the 1950s. It’s believed that this operation led the Guatemalan Coup in 1954.

Population and Geography

Opa-Locka is a tiny city in northern Miami Dade County. With only a 4.5 square mile area, the city houses around 16,500 people. We took this number from the 2020 Census report by the United States government. So, the numbers might be slightly different currently.

Unlike some other Miami Cities, we don’t see white dominance in Opa-Locka. Rather, the majority of the population is either African American or Hispanic/Latino. White people only take up 1.93% of the population as per the 2020 census.

The climate of this city is very suitable for day-to-day living. It puts Florida’s “hot and wet” stereotype to shame with temperatures hovering between 59 degrees and 69 degrees.

What’s Opa-Locka’s Economy Like?

Being a very small city, the economy of Opa-Locka is not as flourishing as Miami Springs or Miami Beach. But it’s still a very peaceful and stable economy to live in. Also, the living cost in this city is pretty low compared to the US national average. It only complements the underappreciated economy.

The median household income in Opa-Locka is $27,700. It’s a lot lower than the Florida average of $61,000. Almost 35% of the population lives in poverty. We know it’s not painting a very good picture of the city for you right now.

On the bright side, the median home value is only $197,400. Only 31% of the population owns houses in Opa-Locka. The rest are renters.

To develop and grow the economy of the community, the city government has plenty of plans and initiatives in place. Looking for foreign investments, encouraging balanced development, attracting critical mass to improve economic growth, supporting local entrepreneurs, etc. are just some of the initiatives.

Although the current unemployment rate is at 8.2%, we can expect this to come down as government initiatives come to fruition. Also, an 8.2% unemployment rate is not bad in a city where almost 35% of the population lives under the poverty line.

The biggest industries in Opa-Locka currently are:

• Wholesale
• Retain
• Manufacturing
• Transportation
• Warehousing
• Construction
• Public Administration

Quality of Education in Opa-Locka

Opa-Locka is one of the historically challenged cities in terms of crime rate and poverty. However, it turned around in 2011 after a series of events involving the police department. But that’s not our topic of discussion for this section. Rather, it’s the quality of education.

The byproduct of previous altercations in this area resulted in a focused effort to improve the living condition of the residents. And it started with building schools and making sure that the children are attending.

As of now, there are only 4 schools within the city limits. But as you’d expect, there are plenty of more options spread across the greater Miami Dade School District. Cities like Hialeah, Miami Springs, Miami Beach, etc. are all nearby where you can find plenty of great school options for your kids.

The schools listed in Opa-Locka are:

• Nathan B. Young Elementary School
• Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School
• North Dade Middle School
• Robert B. Ingram Elementary School

Things to Do in Opa-Locka

Opa-Locka might be a very small city with a below-average economy. But the options to enjoy yourself as a resident are still plenty. It’s a part of the Miami Metropolitan area which means all the major attractions of the surrounding cities are within a stone’s throw.

Let’s check out the things you can do during your time in Opa-Locka.

Amelia Earhart Park

You already know who Amelia Earhart is. Her legacy is still strong in Miami Dade. The Amelia Earhart Park is a great example. Although it’s closer to Hialeah than Opa-Locka, you still drive there in under 15 minutes, including traffic!

It’s a dog park, a petting zoo, as well as a kids’ playground. It also has mountain biking trails that suit both adults and kids.

Everglades National Park

We know this location is not nearly as close as Amelia Earhart park. But would you be willing to let go of the opportunity to visit one of Florida’s only 2 national parks? Located 48 miles from the city of Opa-Locka, Everglades National Park could be an excellent day-out option for the family. And it’s not like you’re going there every day to walk your dog, are you?

However, if you consider yourself a nature lover who likes to explore new species of plants, you may consider visiting the Everglades National Park multiple times. It’s so big that it’s impossible to cover the entire area in one visit.

It’s a preserved natural habitat for millions of plants and animals. We believe you’re sensible enough to keep this in mind and not harm the biodiversity.

Hialeah Park Race Track

Well, the name is a dead giveaway that this place is located in Hialeah. But it has too big of an impact to only be confined to the city of Hialeah. It’s believed to be one of the best things that ever happened to Miami Dade County! The race track is also part of the National Register for Historic Places.

In 2009, the city government took a massive project to renovate the park as well as make a complex surrounding the track to make it a major tourist attraction. The complex would include shopping complexes, hotels, casinos, and every other modern amenity you can think of!

Flamingo Lakes Golf Club

In case golf is your spirit sport, you may want to visit the Flamingo Lakes Golf Course. Located near Pembroke Pines, this is one of Florida’s 1,100 courses. But this 18-hole course with a spectacular view is considered heaven for Opa-Locka golf enthusiasts.

By classification, Flamingo Lakes is a semi-private golf course. Unless you’re a member, you won’t be able to access all the features. It’s completely fine for occasional golf lovers. All you have to do is choose a time that’s not peak hour. Or, you can always buy a membership.

Hard Rock Stadium

Are you a basketball fan by any chance? If you are, we have a pleasant surprise for you. The Hard Rock Stadium is less than 5 miles from Opa-Locka. This is home turf to none other than the Miami Dolphins as well as the Hurricanes (NCAA team).

The great thing about this venue is that you don’t have to visit there only during NBA or NCAA matches. There are guided tours that can take you behind the behind-the-scenes when no events are going on!

Art & Culture

The Moorish Revival theme of the city should work as a great reference for you to understand the culture of Opa-Locka. However, it’s not the only theme you’ll come across when walking along the city roads.

Also, with a goal to make art and culture the driving force behind mass development to make Opa-Locka a suitable place to live, the Opa-Locka Community Development Corporation was formed. Its goal is to incentivize not only arts and culture but also family services, financial empowerment, entrepreneurship, and real estate at the same time.

Now, let’s look at a few places that you can visit during leisure to make your time worthwhile as well as appreciate the diverse culture of the city.

• The ARC (Arts & Recreation Center)
• Made in Opa-Locka
• Arts Academy of Excellence

One last place we can recommend you to visit is St. Thomas University. You might be thinking, what is there to see in a university, right? Well, this private catholic campus is a hub of diversity, sports, and culture. Since 1961, it has maintained a very niche selection of pupils and maintained the 140 acres area with eye-glazing dynamics.

Places to Eat & Drink

After a great day of exploring the arts and culture in Opa-Locka, you must be hungry. What are some good places to eat, you ask? Let’s find out!

• Romo’s Place Restaurant: Romo’s Place is located at 13300 NW 42^nd Ave Bay 2, Opa-Locka. The menu includes a blend of all cultures and all kinds of foods. From sandwiches to wraps to breakfast to dessert, everything is fair game at Romo’s Place in Opa-Locka.
• House of Food Porn: A truly fusion place to get all your cravings met. This is one of the more gourmet places to get you going during dinner. It also offers gluten-free options for the more health-conscious bunch of you.
• Jackson’s Soul Food: You can’t be in Opa-Locka and not eat at Jackson’s Soul Food. If you’re in the market to explore all the American Southwest classics, this is the place for you. Sure, the food items are packed with calories that might take a few weeks at the gym to shed. But in the end, it’ll all be worth it.

Highways and Transportation

Opa-Locka is in such a unique location in Miami Dade that it doesn’t have any major highways going through it. But Florida Turnpike, US Route 441, US Route 27, and I-95 expressway are all less than 10 minute’s drive.

The city also has the Miami Dade transit buses and the tri-rail for day-to-day movements.

Political Status

Opa-Locka city has the traditional council-manager government system where a city manager is in charge of all the executions. The current manager of the city is Darvin Williams who is accompanied by city clerk Joanna Flores.

As part of the system, there is also a mayor who takes care of the ceremonial duties. The current mayor of Opa-Locka is Veronica Williams.