South Miami Relocating Guide
The entire Miami Metropolitan area is a hub for cultures, art, and people. It’s also one of the prime locations for people who’re planning to move to Florida from a different state. Or, from a different city in Miami Dade County.
Our topic of discussion for this post is South Miami, a small city in Miami Dade. This is our relocation where we go over the pros and cons of living in South Miami. However, we’re not going to list the literal pros and cons of the city.
Rather, we’re going to look at the history, the economic condition, educational institutes, recreational benefits, transportation, places to eat, and so on. Let’s go!
Read: Check out our real estate guide on North Miami too.
South Miami At a Glance
Dubbed as the “City of Pleasant Living”, South Miami is a small city on the Southern side of Miami Dade County. It was incorporated back in 1927, during the infamous Florida land boom. The credit for setting the groundwork to flourish the city goes to one man. Wilson Alexandra Larkins.
Mr. Larkins arrived in Fort Dallas in the mid-1890s with his family. By family, we mean his wife and his 5 children. And plenty of livestock. He made a farm on his purchased land on the west of Red Road and Sunset Drive.
He unknowingly started growing the economy when he established the first general store in the area, in 1898. That particular area is currently in Coral Gables and is known as Cartagena Plaza. It’s a result of the reduction of city limits in 2 installments.
Going back to Mr. Larkins’s general store, the economy of the general area started to grow as more people started coming in to buy land. A depot for Florida East Coast Railway was built in 1904 and the first residential property within the current South Miami limits was placed.
The owner, this time as Mr. John Moses Dowling whose son started the first grocery store on the other side of the rail tracks.
In the meantime, Mr. Larkins had established the very first post office in the area. He also became the postmaster and stuck to the role for the next 16 years! He wanted to call the area Manila but it was later changed to Larkins.
By 1926, the community grew quite large. It wasn’t feasible anymore for the residents to maintain the day-to-day operations. Hence, they wanted to incorporate it. The official City of South Miami was formed.
University of Miami campus was chartered the same year which resulted in an influx of new faces in the area.
Fast forward to today, South Miami is ranked as one of the top 10 cities in Florida for Young Families. The research was done by NerdWallet, a consumer advocacy website.
Population and Geography
A lot of things have changed over the last 100 years for South Miami. It sustained damage from many hurricanes. The infrastructure has been renovated countless times. Also, the original area of the city has been reduced twice!
Originally, the City of South Miami used to be 6 square kilometers big. In 1933, the municipality decided to reduce it to 3 square kilometers to reduce the duties of the city commission. In 1937, history repeated itself as a result of a series of lawsuits. If you look at the map, South Miami still appears to be very abstract on the limits.
The current area occupied by South Miami is only 2.31 square miles. In this area, 12,026 people live in 4,431 households. The population makes up around 2,700 families. Of course, all of these pieces of data are according to the 2020 census. Almost half of the population is either Hispanic or Latino. It’s a very common occurrence across the cities and towns in Miami Dade.
The rest are White, Black, Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islanders. An interesting fact about South Miami is that the area was originally habituated by Native Americans like Tequesta, Jaega, and Calusa.
As for the geography of the city, it’s bordered by Coral Gables, Coral Terrace, and Glenvar Heights. It’s only 8 miles from downtown Miami and 20 miles for Homestead.
What’s South Miami’s Economy Like?
South Miami might be a very small city compared to other cities and towns across Miami Dade but it boasts a very strong economy. The first phase of growth started after the second world war, a pattern we’ve seen in many incorporated areas in Miami Dade.
The business community is served by Chamber South and the Red Sunset Merchants Association of South Miami.
Holsum Bakery used to be one of the major hubs of the economy in the area. It was later known as the Bakery Center to locals. After Holsum packed its business, many small and medium businesses had operations here.
In 1982, a large project by the name of Bakery Center was proposed. The construction ended in 1985 and was opened for business. Unfortunately, the project was discarded by 1996 as it didn’t get the traction.
The Shops at Sunset Place was built in the 1990s and became the ultimate entertainment zone. From brand shops like the Gap, Victoria’s Secret, and Urban Outfitters to AMC Theaters. The mall is currently under new management with further plans to expand.
We’re going through all of this to give you an idea of what to expect from South Miami’s economy. Now, let’s get into some stats that you might be interested in.
There are a total of 2,313 establishments including both businesses and jobs. The median household income in this area is $68,452 according to Beacon Council. This number sits well over the national average of $53,000.
Among the residents, almost 56% are homeowners. This is a clear indication that the City of South Miami is very homeowner-friendly.
The potential areas of business in South Miami include:
- Healthcare and social services
- Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Repair
- Personal Care
- Laundry
- Banking, Insurance, and Finance
Quality of Education in South Miami
You already know how small of a city South Miami is. It takes less than 10 minutes to drive from one end to the other. As a result, there aren’t many options when it comes to schools or colleges for yourself or your kids.
However, the entire Miami Dade school district serves this area. And if you’re willing to drive or take the metro out a little further, you get all the options from Coral Gables, Coral Terrace, and even Homestead!
Here are the schools located within the city limits of South Miami.
- South Miami K-8 Center
- South Miami Middle Community School
- South Miami Senior High School
- Miami Conservatory
Things to Do in South Miami
In between work and school, it’s important that you let your mind refresh. It doesn’t get any better than recreational activities. Let’s visit your possible options in South Miami.
Dadeland Mall
People in Florida barely think about malls. They’re mostly going to the beaches or art districts to spend their time. But if you know where to look, a mall can be a goldmine of fun activities. Dadeland Mall is one of the options.
Along with all the brand-name shops where you can get eye-dazzling clothing, the food court is a major attraction.
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
In case you’re a fan of old-school Italian architecture as well as greenery, the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens might be the perfect weekend getaway for you. Well, you can’t really rent a room here but you can surely relax your eyes with the lush green landscapes. And the renaissance-style villa in the middle of the property is a museum of antiques.
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
Although this destination is a bit far from the core of South Miami, the drive is going to be well worth it. Amidst all the chaos of South Florida, the Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park is a relief. The undistributed beach area is the main attraction while the lighthouse works as the perfect photo background!
Azucar Ice Cream Company
Technically, we should include this place in our best places for each section but we can’t resist. The location of the Azucar Ice Cream Company is phenomenal. When you pair that with the opportunity to taste a wide palate of ice cream, it’s a hard place to resist, right?
Art & Culture
Miami’s iconic stance on art very well spills over in South Miami. Although the options are limited, you have quite a few places that you can go.
Actor’s Playhouse
Technically, this is in Coral Gables. But if you prefer a vintage theater that’s still in action, the Actor’s Playhouse is a must-see for you. From drama to plays to musicals to children’s production, you never know what kind of thrill you’re going in for.
Lowe Art Museum
Located inside the University of Miami, this museum was established more than 70 years ago. It accumulated collectibles from around the world as part of its “permanent” collection. Currently, there are over 15,000 relics you can witness. A huge majority of the collectibles represent Native American history in the South Florida region.
Places to Eat & Drink
Thanks to the rich culture of greater Miami, there is an abundance of great restaurants all over the place. South Miami is no different. Let us list the top places you can eat a wholesome dinner in South Miami.
- Root & Bone: Located on the Dixie Highway, this is one of the best places to get soul food. With classy glass panels complemented by ice-white furniture, and life-like plants all over the place, Root & Bone is an excellent option for a romantic dinner or a family hangout.
- Tacocraft Taqueria & Tequila Bar: If you think the name of this place is mouthful, wait till you see the menu. It’s heaven for Mexican food lovers. From tacos to Tequila, everything is fair game in this local Miami restaurant and bar.
- InRamen: Fan of Japanese food? Ramen, to be precise? Well, you’re in luck. InRamen in South Miami is the perfect place to get some hand-made noodles goodness along with freshness you can’t beat.
- Mi’Talia Kitchen Bar: A place for Italian food enthusiasts. Interestingly, the same chefs from Root & Bone lead the cuisine here. The outdoor patio experience is unmatchable in any other setting.
- Public Square: Amidst all the exquisite food, it’s important that you don’t forget the American roots. And to meet all of your American cravings, Public Square is there in South Miami. From Filet Mignon bites wrapped in Bacon to salmon crab rolls, get your share of mouth-watering food
Highways and Transportation
If you prefer public transport to move from point A to point B, you’re going to love South Miami. It has a free shuttle service that runs on a loop from Tuesdays to Sundays!
Of course, the shuttle runs during specific hours to manage feasibility. You can find the latest timings on the South Miami government’s website.
Miami Metrorail also has a strong presence in the area. The metro connects Downtown Miami, Downtown Kendall, the MIA (Miami International Airport), and the MIC (Miami International Center).
Due to the small stature of the city, no highways go through. But it connects to the Florida Turnpike as well as the US Route 1 on both ends. You can get on these roads using the shuttle or by driving for less than 5 minutes!
Political Status
If you’ve read our previous guides on cities and towns in Miami Dade, you might’ve noticed that the majority of incorporated areas follow a council-manager government. South Miami is no different. The commission is elected by the residents every 4 years while the mayor is elected every 2 years.
A city manager is appointed by the city commission and is in charge of executing the ordinances approved by the commission. The current mayor of the city is Sally B. Phillips and the current city manager is Shari Kamali. The commission member who gets the most votes gets the role of Vice Mayor for the next 2 years, the same as the Mayor’s term in South Florida.