The Town FilesOpa-locka, Florida
City in Miami-Dade County · population 16,463 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $295,800
- Household income
- $37,532
- Jan low / Jul high
- 59° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 80
- Median age
- 34.8
Opa-locka is a city of 16,463 people in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The median home is worth $295,800, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks better transit than 99% of Florida towns, better for cycling than 88% of Florida towns, more walkable than 84% of Florida towns.
How Opa-locka ranks
Percentile among Florida towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Florida towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Opa-locka is worth $295,800, below the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 7.9 times the median household income of $37,532, which is more affordable than 6% of Florida towns. Median rent is $1,351 a month. 28.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Opa-locka | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $295,800 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $1,351 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $37,532 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.9× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 28.9% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Opa-locka
| People | Opa-locka | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.8 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.3% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 23.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.9% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 29.7% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 1.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 43.1% | — |
| Work from home | 6.9% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 31.7 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 75.3% | 92.4% |
Weather in Opa-locka
July highs average 90.8°F and January lows 58.9°F. About 62.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 100 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
80 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Opa-locka since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 17, 1959 about 5.2 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 142 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 7, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 54 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on March 29, 1963.
Severe weather in Miami-Dade County since 1996
Miami-Dade County has been included in 43 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, other, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 11, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4834: Hurricane Milton |
| October 7, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3622: Hurricane Milton |
| December 13, 2022 | Hurricane | DR-4680: Hurricane Nicole |
| November 8, 2022 | Tropical Storm | EM-3587: Tropical Storm Nicole |
| September 29, 2022 | Hurricane | DR-4673: Hurricane Ian |
Jobs and pay in Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade County had 1,257,569 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $77,609 a year. Unemployment was 1.8% in 2023; in Opa-locka itself the ACS puts it at 4.1%.
Public schools in Opa-locka
6 public schools with 1,902 students, about 25.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| NORTH PARK HIGH SCHOOL (charter) | 9-12 | 559 | 69.9 |
| BEACON COLLEGE PREP K-8 (charter) | K-8 | 452 | 90.4 |
| NATHAN B. YOUNG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 343 | 19.1 |
| DR. ROBERT B. INGRAM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 273 | 17.1 |
| RAINBOW PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 196 | 24.5 |
| JANN MANN EDUCATIONAL CENTER | 1-12 | 79 | 4.2 |
Towns near Opa-locka
- Westview, FL1.5 mi · 9,923 people · home $379,400
- Pinewood, FL3.2 mi · 17,246 people · home $372,400
- West Little River, FL3.2 mi · 34,128 people · home $375,300
- Miami Gardens, FL3.5 mi · 111,640 people · home $378,500
- Hialeah, FL3.6 mi · 223,109 people · home $392,000
- Miami Lakes, FL4.1 mi · 30,467 people · home $626,400
- Gladeview, FL4.3 mi · 14,927 people · home $402,600
- Country Club, FL4.3 mi · 49,967 people · home $378,600
Opa-locka questions
Is Opa-locka, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Opa-locka scores better for retirees than 3% of Florida towns and quieter than 7%. 15.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.8).
How much does a house cost in Opa-locka?
The median owner-occupied home in Opa-locka is valued at $295,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $37,532, so homes cost about 7.9 times income. Median rent is $1,351 a month.
What is the weather like in Opa-locka?
July highs average 90.8°F and January lows 58.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 62.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Opa-locka get tornadoes?
80 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Opa-locka since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 17, 1959. The typical Florida town has had 35.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)