Miami Lakes, Florida

Miami Lakes is a town in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area in South Florida.

The town has grown over time. As of the 2020 census, it was home to 30,467 people. Miami Lakes has many places for families and residents to enjoy. There are parks, schools, and community activities. It is a nice place to live. It is close to the busy city of Miami but still feels peaceful.

History

Miami Lakes began in 1962 when the Graham family started building on land that was once their dairy farm. They wanted it to be a place where people could easily walk to shops and parks, with curved streets and many lakes, unlike the square grids nearby.

In December 2000, Miami Lakes officially became a town, the 31st in Miami-Dade County. It has more than 1,100 businesses and was planned to grow for many years to come.

Geography

Miami Lakes is a town 15 miles northwest of downtown Miami. It is surrounded by Hialeah to the south and west, Miami Gardens to the east, and Country Club to the north.

The town covers 6.5 square miles, most of it land and a small part water. Miami Lakes has a tropical climate, like the Caribbean, and is one of the few places in the 48 contiguous states with this weather.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Miami Lakes had 30,467 people. The median age was 43.1 years. About 18.2% were under 18, and 16.7% were 65 or older. For every 100 females, there were 89.5 males.

All people lived in urban areas.

There were 11,238 households. About 32.2% had children under 18. About 51.1% were married couples. There were 12,090 housing units, with 7.0% vacant.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 29,361 people, 9,533 households, and 7,050 families in the town.

2000 census

In 2000, 37.7% of households had children under 18. About 58.6% were married couples. The average household size was 2.75, and the average family size was 3.21.

In 2000, 25.1% of people were under 18, and 10.1% were 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males.

In 2000, 72.41% of people spoke Spanish at home, and 24.65% spoke only English. Small amounts spoke Portuguese and Urdu.

Income and poverty

From 2009 to 2013, the median income for a household was $63,754. The per capita income was $28,867. About 3.8% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line.

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1980	9,809	—
1990	12,750	30.0%
2000	22,676	77.9%
2010	29,361	29.5%
2020	30,467	3.8%
U.S. Decennial Census

**Miami Lakes, Florida – Racial and ethnic composition**
*Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.*
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	6,362	4,227	3,286	28.06%	14.40%	10.79%
Black or African American alone (NH)	530	718	647	2.34%	2.45%	2.12%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	20	4	4	0.09%	0.01%	0.01%
Asian alone (NH)	480	407	469	2.12%	1.39%	1.54%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	6	2	3	0.03%	0.01%	0.01%
Other Race alone (NH)	20	31	129	0.09%	0.11%	0.42%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	175	146	293	0.77%	0.50%	0.96%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	15,083	23,826	25,636	66.52%	81.15%	84.14%
Total	22,676	29,361	30,467	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

Government

Since 2000, Miami Lakes has used a council-manager style of government. Elected leaders work with a town manager to run the town.

The mayor is chosen by all voters for a four-year term and leads the town council meetings. The council includes the mayor and six other members who help make rules for the town. In 2013, the town opened a new town hall on Main Street. The town's police services are provided by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, and fire services are handled by the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.

Economy

Miami Lakes has many important companies. One of the biggest banks in the United States, BankUnited, N.A., has its main office there. Other companies in Miami Lakes include Potamkin Auto Group, The Graham Companies, Fine Art Lamps, Pacer, New Generation Computing, and more. These businesses help Miami Lakes grow and stay busy.

Education

Miami Lakes has many schools to help children learn. The schools are run by Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

Younger children go to K–8 schools like Bob Graham Education Center and Miami Lakes K-8 Center. Older children attend middle school at Miami Lakes Middle School and high school at Barbara Goleman Senior High School or Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School. There is also a special school called Miami Lakes Educational Center and a private school named Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic School.

Parks and recreation

Miami Lakes has more than 100 parks, mini parks, playgrounds, and walking paths. Some popular parks are Miami Lakes Optimist Park, Veterans Park, and Royal Oaks Park. These spaces are great for families and children to enjoy the outdoors.

Transportation

Miami Lakes has several bus routes to help people get around, like routes 37, 54, and 75. These buses are part of the Miami-Dade metrobus system.

Cultural institutions

Miami Lakes has a special indoor veterans memorial at the Royal Oaks Park Community Center. The memorial has a big mural with military scenes and includes wood carvings, stained glass, and glass mosaics. It opened on Memorial Day in 2011.

The town has public libraries, places of worship like Elevate Church and Hope at Miami Lakes Methodist Church, and a local theater group called Main Street Players. Miami Lakes holds many fun events each year, such as a Fourth of July concert and fireworks, a Halloween event, an Easter egg hunt, and a Veterans Day Parade.

Sports

Miami Lakes has many teams and clubs that enjoy playing sports. One of them is called the Miami Lakes Bandits. There is also the Miami Lakes United Soccer Club, where kids can play soccer together.

Media

The Miami Laker is the newspaper for the town of Miami Lakes and nearby places in northwest Miami-Dade County.

Notable people

Miami Lakes has many famous people from many fields. Some well-known people from the town include Humberto Brenes, a professional poker player, and Don Shula, a famous American football player and coach. Others include Harry Wayne Casey, a musician and singer, and Bob Graham, a lawyer and politician. The town has also been home to Adrian Cárdenas, a baseball player, and Sara Sidner, a TV reporter.