History of Miami in Timeline

Miami is a coastal city in Florida and the second-most populous in the state with over 442,000 residents as of 2020. Its metropolitan area, encompassing South Florida, is the sixth-largest in the U.S., boasting approximately 6.46 million residents. Noted for its impressive skyline, Miami ranks third in the U.S. with over 300 high-rises, 70 of which surpass 491 feet. It also serves as the county seat of Miami-Dade County.

1900: Miami's population in 1900

In the 1900 census, Miami's population was 1,681.

February 3, 1917: Lowest Temperature Recorded

On February 3, 1917, Miami recorded its lowest temperature at 27 °F (-2.8 °C).

1922: Coral Way built in 1922

In 1922, Coral Way, a historic residential neighborhood, was built between Downtown and Coral Gables.

1925: Tornado struck Miami in 1925

A tornado struck Miami in 1925.

1925: Coconut Grove annexed into Miami in 1925

In 1925, Coconut Grove, which was settled in 1825, was annexed into Miami.

1926: 1926 Miami Hurricane

The 1926 Miami Hurricane slowed Miami's development.

1940: Miami's Population in 1940

By 1940, Miami's population had grown to 172,172 people as the city became a base for U.S. defense during World War II.

July 21, 1942: Highest Temperature Recorded

On July 21, 1942, Miami recorded its highest temperature at 100 °F (38 °C).

1950: Miami's population in 1950

In the 1950 census, Miami's population had grown to 249,276, making it Florida's largest city.

1956: Summer season began ranging from April 16 to June 3 since 1956

From 1956 to 1997, the date summer began ranged from April 16 to June 3, with a median date of May 21.

1959: Cuban Revolution

In 1959, following the Cuban Revolution, many wealthy Cubans sought refuge in Miami, increasing the city's population.

1970: Miami population in 1970

By the 1970 census, Miami's population reached 334,859, after growing by 34.3% in the 1950s and 1960s.

1972: Miami in 1972

In 1972, Miami hosted both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions and the Miami Dolphins had their undefeated season.

January 19, 1977: Snow flurries in Miami

On January 19, 1977, snow flurries fell in some parts of Miami.

1978: Calle Ocho Festival Begins

The Calle Ocho Festival, the largest Latin music festival in the country, has been running since 1978 in Miami.

1985: Election of Xavier Suarez in 1985

In 1985, Miami elected its first Cuban-born mayor, Xavier Suarez.

1988: Republican Candidate Wins Miami-Dade County

The 2024 presidential election was the first time a Republican candidate had won Miami-Dade County since 1988.

December 1989: Coldest daytime maximum temperature

In December 1989, Miami experienced the coldest daytime maximum temperature on record, at 45 °F (7 °C) during the December 1989 United States cold wave.

1990: Peak Black population in 1990

In 1990, Miami's non-Hispanic Black population peaked at almost 90,000, nearly a quarter of the city's population.

1996: Miami Jewish Film Festival Established

In 1996, the Miami Jewish Film Festival (MJFF) was established as an annual event showcasing films related to Jewish history and culture.

1997: Tornado struck Miami in 1997

A tornado struck Miami in 1997.

1997: Summer season ending ranging from September 24 to November 1 since 1997

From 1956 to 1997, the date summer ended ranged from September 24 to November 1, with a median date of October 17.

2000: Non-Hispanic White population in 2000

At the time of the 2000 census, the non-Hispanic White population reached a low of 11.8%.

2000: Miami population in 2000

By the time of the 2000 census, Miami's population stood at 362,470.

2000: Miami demographics from 1970 to 2000

From 1970 to 2000, population growth in Miami was stagnant, as non-Hispanic White Miamians left and significant immigration from Latin America made up the balance.

2001: Miami Government Bankrupt

In 2001, the local government of Miami went bankrupt, making it one of the few cities in the U.S. to do so.

2002: Republican Candidate Wins Miami-Dade County

In the 2002 Florida gubernatorial election, a Republican candidate won Miami-Dade County.

2003: Miami Hosts Free Trade Negotiations

In 2003, Miami hosted the Free Trade Area of the Americas negotiations, underscoring its importance in international business and trade.

2007: Miami Named Rudest Drivers

In 2007, Miami was identified as having the rudest drivers in the United States for the second year in a row, according to an AutoVantage poll.

2007: Housing Market Crash and Foreclosure Crisis

In 2007, the housing market crash led to a foreclosure crisis in the Miami area, mirroring trends in other metro areas across the United States.

September 2008: Miami-Dade County Public Schools Enrollment

In September 2008, Miami-Dade County Public Schools had a student enrollment of 385,655 across over 392 schools and centers.

2009: Univision Announces New Production Studio

In 2009, Univision announced plans to build a new production studio in Miami, called Univision Studios, to produce programming for its television networks.

2010: Non-Hispanic White population in 2010

At the time of the 2010 census, the non-Hispanic White population rose to 11.9%.

2010: Miami population in 2010

From 2000 to 2010, Miami's population grew by 10.2% and reached 399,457 in 2010.

2010: Origin of city residents in 2010

In 2010, 34.4% of Miami residents were of Cuban origin, 15.8% had a Central American background, and 8.7% were of South American descent.

2010: Residents' origin in 2010

In 2010, 5.6% of city residents were of West Indian or Afro-Caribbean American origin, 3.0% were Black Hispanics, and 0.4% were Subsaharan African origin.

2010: College Graduates in Miami

In 2010, Miami Dade College, Florida International University, University of Miami, and Barry University graduated 28,000 students.

2010: Miami Ranked as 44th Bike-Friendly City

In 2010, Miami was ranked as the 44th-most bike-friendly city in the U.S., according to Bicycling Magazine.

2010: European ancestry population in 2010

In 2010, those of non-Hispanic white European ancestry were 11.9% of Miami's population.

2010: Miami Intermodal Center Completion

The Miami Intermodal Center was completed in 2010, serving about 150,000 commuters and travelers in the Miami area.

November 2011: New Norwegian Seamen's Church

In November 2011, Crown Princess of Norway Mette-Marit opened a new building for the Norwegian Seamen's Church in Miami.

2011: Telemundo Programming Filmed in Miami

In 2011, 85% of Telemundo's original programming was filmed in Miami, solidifying the city's status as a major television production center, especially for Spanish-language media.

2011: Miami Ranked Eighth-Most Walkable City

In 2011, a study by Walk Score ranked Miami as the eighth-most walkable of the 50 largest cities in the U.S.

2012: High Poverty Rate in Miami

In 2012, Miami had the fourth-highest percentage of family incomes below the federal poverty line among large cities in the United States.

2012: Miami Central Station Expected Completion

In 2012, the Miami Central Station was initially expected to be completed, with the intention of moving Amtrak operations to a centralized location near Downtown.

2013: Gross Metropolitan Product of Miami in 2013

In 2013, Miami had a Gross Metropolitan Product of $257 billion, ranking 11th in the United States and 20th worldwide.

2013: Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald Move Headquarters

In 2013, The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald, Miami's main newspapers, moved from Downtown Miami to Doral.

2014: Religious Practice in 2014

In 2014, a Pew Research Center study found that Christianity was the most-practiced religion in Miami (68%), followed by Judaism (9%), with smaller followings for Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism.

2014: Port of Miami Tunnel Opens

In 2014, the Port of Miami Tunnel opened, connecting the MacArthur Causeway to PortMiami, improving access to the port.

2014: Miami Central Station Completion Delayed

In 2014, the completion of the Miami Central Station experienced further delays, pushing the expected completion date back once again.

2015: US census between 2015–2019

According to the U.S. census between 2015–2019, Miami lacks in terms of owner-occupied housing, computer and internet usage, education of bachelor's degree or higher, median household income, per capita income, while having a higher percentage of persons in poverty.

2015: Households Without A Car

In 2015, 19.9% of city of Miami households were without a car.

2015: Miami Hosts Formula E Race

In 2015, Miami hosted a one-off Formula E race, adding to its history of hosting professional auto races.

2015: MiamiCentral Station Tri-Rail Phase II Completion

In 2015, the Tri-Rail part of Phase II of MiamiCentral Station was completed.

2015: Miami Central Station Completion Delayed Again

In early 2015, the completion of the Miami Central Station was delayed again.

2016: Archbishop Curley-Notre Dame High School Closure

Archbishop Curley-Notre Dame High School, located within the Miami city limits, closed in 2016.

2016: Miami Attracts High Number of Foreign Tourists

In 2016, Miami attracted the second-highest number of foreign tourists among U.S. cities, after New York City.

2016: Transportation Survey

In the 2016 American Community Survey, 72.3% of working city of Miami residents commuted by driving alone, while 9% used public transportation.

2016: Political Shift in Miami-Dade County

In the 2016 presidential election, Miami-Dade County demonstrated a political shift compared to subsequent elections.

2017: Miami's Urban Economy in 2017

In 2017, Miami's metropolitan area had the largest urban economy in Florida, with a gross domestic product of $344.9 billion.

2017: PortMiami Cruise Passenger Volume

In 2017, PortMiami served 5,340,559 cruise passengers and imported 9,162,340 tons of cargo, solidifying its status as the world's largest cruise port.

2017: Tourism Adds Billions to Miami's Economy

In 2017, more than 15.9 million visitors arrived in Miami, adding $26.1 billion to the city's economy.

2017: Miami Park System Ranking

In 2017, the park system in the City of Miami was the 48th best park system among the 100 most populous U.S. cities.

2018: Downtown Miami population in 2018

An estimate by the American Community Survey found that the downtown population, from Brickell north to Midtown Miami, grew nearly 40% between 2010 and 2018.

2018: Miami's wealth in 2018

In 2018, a UBS study ranked Miami as the third-richest city in the U.S. and globally in purchasing power.

2019: US census between 2015–2019

2019: Miami Open Moves to Hard Rock Stadium

In 2019, the Miami Open tennis tournament moved to Hard Rock Stadium after being purchased by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross.

2020: Resources for the Future report in 2020

According to a 2020 report by Resources for the Future, Miami is one of the most at-risk cities globally due to climate change.

2020: GaWC Ranking in 2020

According to the 2020 ranking of world cities by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network, Miami is considered a Beta + level world city.

2020: Miami's Hispanic and Latino population in 2020

As of 2020, Miami had a Hispanic and Latino population of 310,472, which was 70.2 percent of the city's population.

2020: Miami's First Boat-In Movie Theater Opens

In 2020, Miami's first boat-in movie theater opened, offering a unique entertainment experience.

2020: Miami's population in 2020

In 2020, the census recorded Miami's population at 442,241, making it the second-most populous city in Florida. The Miami metropolitan area had an estimated 6.46 million residents and the third-largest skyline in the U.S.

2020: Miami Park System Ranking

In its 2020 ParkScore ranking, The Trust for Public Land reported that the park system in the City of Miami was the 64th best park system among the 100 most populous U.S. cities.

2020: Non-Hispanic White population in 2020

In the 2020 census, non-Hispanic Whites were 14.0% of Miami's population and numbered 61,829, the highest number since the 1980s.

2020: Trump Gains Among Hispanic Voters

The 2020 presidential election marked a turning point with Trump making substantial gains among Hispanic voters in Miami-Dade County.

2021: Unsheltered homeless in 2021

In 2021, there were 555 unsheltered homeless people on the streets in the city limits of Miami.

2022: Citadel Relocates to Miami

In 2022, Citadel LLC, a hedge fund, and Citadel Securities, a market maker, moved their headquarters from Chicago to Miami.

2022: Miami Visitors in 2022

In 2022, the Miami metropolitan area was the second-most visited in the U.S. after New York City, hosting over four million visitors.

2022: Homeless count in Miami-Dade County in 2022

In a 2022 Point-In-Time Homeless Count, there were 3,440 homeless people in Miami-Dade County, 970 of which were on the streets.

2022: DeSantis Wins Miami-Dade County

In the 2022 Florida gubernatorial election, Ron DeSantis won Miami-Dade County for the first time for a Republican candidate since 2002.

July 2024: Miami Hosts Copa América Final

Miami hosted the 2024 Copa América final in July 2024.

2024: Trump Wins Miami-Dade County

In the 2024 presidential election in Florida, Trump won Miami-Dade County by eleven points, a rare occurrence for a Republican presidential candidate.

2025: Miami Jewish Film Festival Awards

As of 2025, the Miami Jewish Film Festival awards several film awards, including Critics Jury Prize, Next Wave Jury Prize, Kadima Jury Prize, Torchbearer Award, Emerging Filmmaker Award, and Audience Awards.