Miami Beach, Florida

Geography

Miami Beach is a pretty coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. It is part of the big Miami metropolitan area in South Florida. The city sits on islands between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay. This bay separates it from the mainland city of Miami. One of its most famous parts is South Beach. It is known for its lively atmosphere. Together with downtown Miami and the PortMiami, it is an important commercial center for the area. In 2020, Miami Beach had a population of 82,890 people.

History

Since the early 1900s, Miami Beach has been a top destination for people to relax and enjoy beautiful beaches. In 1979, a special area called the Art Deco Historic District was officially recognized. This district has the largest collection of Art Deco buildings in the world. Many hotels and apartments were built between 1923 and 1943. Various styles, like Mediterranean and Streamline Moderne, can be seen there. A woman named Barbara Baer Capitman, an interior designer, helped protect these special buildings. A street in the district is named after her.

History

Miami Beach started as a small, empty place in the late 1800s. In 1870, two brothers named Henry and Charles Lum bought land there for only 75 cents an acre. The first building was the Biscayne House of Refuge, made in 1876 to help sailors whose ships crashed. Later, people tried to grow coconut trees, but that didn’t work. They grew avocados instead.

John S. Collins, founding developer of Miami Beach

In the early 1900s, people saw that Miami Beach could be a nice place for vacations. By 1915, the area was named Miami Beach, and the first hotel, Brown’s Hotel, was built. More hotels came, and rich visitors from cold places started to come. The city grew fast with new bridges linking it to the mainland and many new buildings. Even when a big storm in 1926 caused some damage, Miami Beach kept growing. It became famous for its beaches and sunny weather.

The opening of Collins Bridge in 1913, the longest wooden bridge in the world at the time

Carl G. Fisher in 1909

An aerial view of the Flamingo Hotel, c. 1922

The warm sun and nice weather made Miami Beach a popular spot for families and people who wanted to relax. Over time, people from many places moved there, making it a colorful and exciting place to live and visit. Today, Miami Beach is known for its beautiful beaches, old buildings, and busy arts scene.

Timeline

Timeline of Miami Beach, Florida

1896 – City of Miami founded with the recent arrival extension Henry Flagler's FEC railroad.
1905 – Government Cut manmade shipping channel created separating Miami Beach and Fisher Island.
1912 – Miami Beach Improvement Company founded.
1913 – Collins Bridge (now Venetian Causeway), first bridge between Miami and Miami Beach, built.
1915
- Miami Beach incorporated.
- John Newton Lummus becomes first mayor of Miami Beach.
- Brown's Hotel first hotel built in Miami Beach, still standing today at 112 Ocean Drive.
1920
- Population: 644.
- County Causeway (now MacArthur Causeway) connecting Miami and Miami Beach opens.
1925
- Venetian Causeway opens.
- Miami Beach becomes an island when the Haulover cut opens in April connecting the ocean to the bay just north of Bal Harbour, Florida
1926 - Miami Beach sustains damage from 1926 Miami hurricane
1928
- Al Capone buys property in Miami Beach.
- 79th Street Causeway built to connect Miami Beach to Hialeah Park Race Track.
1930 – Population: 6,494.
1935 – Many of the famous Art Deco hotels along current day Ocean Drive are built between 1935 and 1941 before the onset of WWII ends construction.
1937 – WKAT radio begins broadcasting.
1940 – Population: 28,012.
1954 – Fontainebleau Hotel in business.
1958 – Miami Beach Convention Center opens.
1959 – Miami International Airport dedicated near Miami Beach.
1960 – Population: 63,145.
1961 – The Julia Tuttle Causeway between Miami and Miami Beach opens.
1968 – August: 1968 Republican National Convention held in Miami Beach.
1971 – Annual South Florida Auto Show begins.
1972
- July - 1972 Democratic National Convention held in Miami Beach.
- August - 1972 Republican National Convention held in Miami Beach.
1973 – February:
1977 – September: 35th World Science Fiction Convention held in Miami Beach.
1979 – Much of Miami South Beach area becomes a historic preservation zone.
1984 – Popular NBC TV show Miami Vice filmed in many locations in Miami and Miami Beach for five seasons between 1984 and 1989.
1997 – July 15:
2000 – Blue and Green Diamond hi-rises built.
2001 – Murano at Portofino hi-rise built.
2002
- Annual international Art Basel Miami Beach (art fair) begins.
- Continuum hi-rise built
2004 – Setai Hotel and ICON hi-rise built.
2007 – Matti Herrera Bower becomes mayor.
2010 – Population: 87,779.
2011 – November 1: Miami Beach mayoral election, 2011 held; Bower stays in office.
2013 – Philip Levine becomes mayor.
2015 – November 3: Miami Beach mayoral election, 2015 held; Levine stays in office.

Geography

Miami Beach is a city in Florida, United States. It is on islands between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay. The city is about 18.7 square miles in size, with both land and water.

South Beach in March 2008

Sometimes, during very high tides, parts of Miami Beach can flood. The city is working to protect itself from rising sea levels. Projects include adding pumps, raising roads, and building taller sea walls. These help manage water but also lead to discussions among residents.

Miami Beach has a tropical climate. It has a wet season from May to October and a dry season from November to April. Because it is near the ocean, the city can be affected by hurricanes.

Demographics

Miami Beach has just under 83,000 people. Most people live alone or in very small groups. Only about one in six homes has children. Almost everyone lives near cities; no one lives in rural areas.

In 2010, most people in Miami Beach had Hispanic or Latino backgrounds, especially from Cuba, Colombia, and Argentina. Other groups included African Americans, European Americans (such as Italian, German, and Russian), Asian Americans, and Arab Americans, including many of Palestinian and Lebanese heritage.

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1920	644	—
1930	6,494	908.4%
1940	28,012	331.4%
1950	46,282	65.2%
1960	63,145	36.4%
1970	87,072	37.9%
1980	96,298	10.6%
1990	92,639	−3.8%
2000	87,933	−5.1%
2010	87,779	−0.2%
2020	82,890	−5.6%
2023 (est.)	79,607	−4.0%
U.S. Decennial Census 1920–1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2023

Historical demographics	2020	2010	2000	1990	1980
White (non-Hispanic)	40.1%	40.5%	40.9%	48.3%	76.2%
Hispanic or Latino	50.6%	53.0%	53.4%	46.8%	22.2%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	2.7%	3.1%	2.8%	3.6%	0.7%
Asian and Pacific Islander (non-Hispanic)	2.0%	1.8%	1.3%	1.0%	0.9%
Native American (non-Hispanic)	0.1%	0.1%	0.1%	0.1%
Some other race (non-Hispanic)	1.0%	0.4%	0.3%	0.2%
Two or more races (non-Hispanic)	3.5%	1.1%	1.1%	N/A	N/A
Population	82,890	87,779	87,933	92,639	96,298

Racial composition as of the 2020 census
Race	Number	Percent
White	42,475	51.2%
Black or African American	2,573	3.1%
American Indian and Alaska Native	305	0.4%
Asian	1,688	2.0%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	34	0.0%
Some other race	8,754	10.6%
Two or more races	27,061	32.6%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race)	41,976	50.6%

Demographic characteristics	2020	2010	2000	1990	1980
Housing units	63,543	67,499	59,723	49,305	55,685
Persons per household	1.30	1.30	1.47	1.88	1.73
Sex Ratio	105.9	109.9	105.0	87.3	74.7
Ages 0–17	13.8%	12.8%	13.4%	14.1%	8.7%
Ages 18–64	67.2%	71.0%	67.3%	55.8%	39.6%
Ages 65 +	19.0%	16.2%	19.2%	30.1%	51.8%
Median age	44.0	40.3	39.0	44.3	66.0
Population	82,890	87,779	87,933	92,639	96,298

Economic indicators
2017–21 American Community Survey	Miami Beach	Miami-Dade County	Florida
Median income	$39,456	$32,513	$34,367
Median household income	$59,162	$57,815	$61,777
Poverty Rate	14.0%	15.7%	13.1%
High school diploma	89.9%	82.5%	89.0%
Bachelor's degree	49.6%	31.7%	31.5%
Advanced degree	22.0%	11.9%	11.7%

Language spoken at home	2015	2010	2000	1990	1980
English	30.8%	32.3%	32.5%	39.6%	54.6%
Spanish or Spanish Creole	55.5%	54.4%	54.4%	46.5%	23.0%
French or Haitian Creole	2.4%	2.3%	2.0%	2.3%	1.0%
Portuguese or Portuguese Creole	N/A	2.0%	3.4%	1.2%	N/A
Yiddish	N/A	0.1%	0.8%	3.1%	N/A
Other Languages	11.3%	8.9%	6.9%	7.3%	21.4%

Nativity	2015	2010	2000	1990	1980
% population native-born	45.4%	48.0%	44.5%	48.7%	51.3%
... born in the United States	44.3%	44.6%	40.7%	44.8%	50.0%
... born in Puerto Rico or Island Areas	1.1%	1.9%	2.8%	2.9%	1.3%
... born to American parents abroad	1.5%	1.5%	1.0%	1.0%	1.3%
% population foreign-born	53.0%	52.0%	55.5%	51.3%	48.7%
... born in Cuba	14.8%	14.7%	17.5%	18.0%	10.7%
... born in Russia	0.7%	0.7%	0.5%	1.9%	9.3%
... born in Poland	0.4%	0.4%	0.7%	2.1%	5.9%
... born in Colombia	4.1%	4.0%	5.9%	3.4%	N/A
... born in Argentina	4.1%	3.4%	4.4%	1.6%	N/A
... born in Brazil	2.1%	1.9%	3.1%	1.2%	N/A
... born in Peru	1.9%	2.2%	2.5%	1.6%	N/A
... born in Guatemala	1.0%	2.6%	0.4%	0.5%	N/A
... born in Honduras	1.9%	2.0%	1.3%	1.2%	N/A
... born in Venezuela	3.4%	2.1%	1.7%	0.7%	N/A
... born in other countries	18.6%	18.0%	17.5%	19.1%	22.8%

Economy

Miami Beach is very important for tourism in Miami-Dade County. Many people visit the city each year, and tourism helps bring money for the city's budget. Taxes from resorts make up more than ten percent of the city's spending.

The Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority helps promote the city and support its tourism industry. This group was created in 1967 to market and handle public relations for Miami Beach.

Arts and culture

South Beach, also called SoBe, is a popular area of Miami Beach between Biscayne Street and 23rd Street. Before TV shows made it famous, this area had many empty buildings. Today, it is one of the busiest places on the beach.

Miami Beach has been featured in famous movies and TV shows. Lincoln Road is a well-known spot for shopping and dining, with many artists’ galleries.

Miami Beach has many important places to visit, including museums, hotels, and parks. In the 1970s, leaders worked hard to save old buildings called “art deco” style. These buildings were in danger of being torn down, but people helped protect them. Today, these buildings attract visitors.

Each December, Miami Beach hosts Art Basel Miami Beach, a big art show with galleries from around the world. The city is also home to the New World Symphony, which moved into a special building designed by famous architect Frank Gehry. Miami Beach has theaters, ballet companies, and many cultural events throughout the year.

Government

Miami Beach has a special way of choosing its leaders. There is a mayor who helps lead meetings, but the real power is shared equally among the mayor and six other leaders called commissioners. Everyone in the city votes for them. The mayor can serve up to three terms of two years each, while commissioners can serve up to two terms of four years each. Every two years, three of the commissioner seats are up for voting.

The city also has important positions like the City Manager, City Clerk, and City Attorney. These roles are filled by people chosen to help run the city's daily tasks. The City Manager especially plays a big part in making sure everything in the city runs smoothly.

Education

Miami-Dade County Public Schools serves Miami Beach. Some public schools are North Beach Elementary, Treasure Island Elementary, South Pointe Elementary, Mater Beach Academy, Biscayne Elementary, Fienberg/Fisher K–8 Center, Nautilus Middle School, and Miami Beach Senior High School.

There are private schools like Rabbi Alexander S. Gross Hebrew Academy and St. Patrick Catholic School. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami helps run St. Patrick Catholic School.

The Florida International University School of Architecture has a campus at 420 Lincoln Road in South Beach. It offers spaces for students studying architecture, art, music, and theater. Other colleges include Johnson & Wales University.

Infrastructure

Public Transportation in Miami Beach is managed by Miami-Dade Transit. Many people in the city use buses to get around because there are no train stations in Miami Beach. Bus routes connect Miami Beach to nearby areas.

There have been plans for years to build a train link called BayLink to connect Miami Beach to the mainland. Many people in Miami Beach support extending an existing train line to their city.

Miami Beach also has a free tourist trolley system with several routes that help visitors and residents travel around the city.

Since the late 20th century, cycling has become more popular in Miami Beach. The city has streets friendly to pedestrians and cyclists. In March 2011, a public bicycle sharing system named Citi Bike started, offering many bicycles at different stations across the city.

Notable people

Sister cities

Miami Beach has 13 sister cities. These cities are in other parts of the world. They work together with Miami Beach to share culture and stay friendly.