History of Miami in Timeline
Miami is a coastal city located in South Florida, serving as the core of the Miami metropolitan area. Its population is the second largest in Florida after Jacksonville. Miami has the third-largest skyline in the U.S., with over 300 high-rises.
1900: Miami population in 1900
In the 1900 census, Miami's population was 1,681.
February 3, 1917: Record low temperature in Miami
On February 3, 1917, Miami recorded its lowest temperature ever at 27 °F (-2.8 °C).
1922: Coral Way Neighborhood built in 1922
The Coral Way neighborhood was built in 1922 between Downtown and Coral Gables.
1925: Coconut Grove annexed into Miami in 1925
Coconut Grove was annexed into Miami in 1925.
1926: 1926 Miami Hurricane
The 1926 Miami Hurricane slowed development in the region.
1940: Miami population in 1940
By 1940, Miami's population had reached 172,172 people due to its role as a base for U.S. defense during World War II.
July 21, 1942: Record high temperature in Miami
On July 21, 1942, Miami recorded its highest temperature ever at 100 °F (38 °C).
1950: Miami population in 1950
By the 1950 census, Miami's population had grown to 249,276, making it Florida's largest city.
1956: Start of the defined "summer" range
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
After the Cuban Revolution in 1959, many wealthy Cubans sought refuge in Miami, leading to a population increase.
1970: Miami population demographics in 1970
In 1970, Miami's population was reported as 45.3% Hispanic, 32.9% non-Hispanic White, and 22.7% Black.
1970: Miami population in 1970
The 1970 census recorded Miami's population at 334,859 after growth in the 1950s and 1960s.
1972: Miami hosted National Conventions 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 fell in Miami
On January 19, 1977, snow flurries fell in some parts of Miami, though no official snowfall has been recorded.
1985: Miami's first Cuban-born mayor elected
In 1985, Miami elected its first Cuban-born mayor, Xavier Suarez.
1988: Republican candidate last win in Miami-Dade County
1988 was the last time a Republican candidate had won Miami-Dade County.
December 1989: Coldest daytime maximum temperature on record
In December 1989, the coldest daytime maximum temperature on record was 45 °F (7 °C) during the December 1989 United States cold wave.
1990: Peak of non-Hispanic Black population in 1990
In 1990, the non-Hispanic Black population of Miami peaked at almost 90,000, making up nearly a quarter of the city's population.
1991: Coldest maximum temperature average
The coldest maximum temperature average between 1991 and 2020 stood at 59 °F (15 °C).
1997: End of the defined "summer" range
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 at nadir
At the time of the 2000 census, the non-Hispanic White population of Miami reached a low of 11.8%.
2000: Miami population in 2000
By the 2000 census, Miami's population was 362,470.
2001: Miami Bankruptcy
In 2001, Miami was one of the very few cities in the U.S. where the local government went bankrupt.
2002: Florida Gubernatorial Election
2002 was the last time a republican candidate had won Miami-Dade County for Florida Gubernatorial election.
2003: Free Trade Area of the Americas negotiations
Miami was the host city of the 2003 Free Trade Area of the Americas negotiations.
2007: Rudest Drivers
In 2007, Miami was identified as having the rudest drivers in the United States for the second year in a row.
2007: Housing Market Crash and Foreclosure Crisis
The housing market crash of 2007 caused a foreclosure crisis in the Miami area.
September 2008: Miami-Dade County Public Schools Enrollment
In September 2008, Miami-Dade County Public Schools had a student enrollment of 385,655 and over 392 schools and centers.
2009: Univision Announces New Production Studio
In 2009, Univision announced plans to build a new production studio in Miami, dubbed 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 was 11.9%.
2010: Population ancestry
In 2010, 1.9% of the population considered themselves to be of only American ancestry, while 0.5% were of Arab ancestry.
2010: City resident origins
In 2010, 34.4% of city residents were of Cuban origin, 15.8% had a Central American background, 8.7% were of South American descent, 4.0% had other Hispanic or Latino origins, 3.2% descended from Puerto Ricans, 2.4% were Dominican, and 1.5% had Mexican ancestry.
2010: West Indian or Afro-Caribbean
In 2010, 5.6% of city residents were West Indian or Afro-Caribbean American, 3.0% were Black Hispanics, and 0.4% were Subsaharan African origin.
2010: Bike-Friendly Ranking
In 2010, Miami was ranked as the 44th-most bike-friendly city in the U.S., according to Bicycling Magazine.
2010: College and University Graduates
In 2010, Miami's four largest colleges and universities graduated 28,000 students.
2010: Miami population in 2010
In 2010, Miami's population reached 399,457.
2010: European ancestry population
In 2010, those of (non-Hispanic white) European ancestry were 11.9% of Miami's population.
2010: Completion of Miami Intermodal Center
Miami Intermodal Center was completed in 2010.
November 2011: Opening of 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: Walk Score Ranking
A 2011 study by Walk Score ranked Miami the eighth-most walkable of the 50 largest cities in the U.S.
2011: Telemundo Programming Filmed in Miami
In 2011, 85% of Telemundo's original programming was filmed in Miami, highlighting the city's importance as a television production center.
2012: Census Data on Poverty
In the 2012 census, Miami had the fourth highest percentage of family incomes below the federal poverty line out of all large cities in the United States.
2012: Phase I of MiamiCentral Station Completed
Phase I of MiamiCentral Station was completed in 2012.
2012: Miami Central Station Delay
The Miami Central Station, expected to be completed by 2012, experienced several delays.
2013: Gross Metropolitan Product 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 left their longtime home in Downtown Miami and moved to Doral.
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 Delay
In 2014, the completion of Miami Central Station was pushed back.
2014: Pew Research Center study on religion in Miami
In a 2014 Pew Research Center study, Christianity was the most-practiced religion in Miami (68%), followed by Judaism (9%); atheism or no self-identifying organized religious affiliation was practiced by 21%.
2014: Religion in the Miami Metro Area
Religion in the Miami Metro Area, from 2014.
2015: U.S. census data 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 Formula E Race
In 2015, Miami hosted a one-off Formula E race.
2015: Miami Central Station Delay
In early 2015, the completion of Miami Central Station was again pushed back.
2015: Tri-Rail Part of Phase II Completed
The Tri-Rail part of Phase II of Miami Intermodal Center was completed in 2015.
2016: Archbishop Curley-Notre Dame High School Closure
Archbishop Curley-Notre Dame High School was in the Miami city limits until its closure in 2016.
2016: Tourism Statistics
In 2016, Miami attracted the second-highest number of foreign tourists of any city in the United States.
2016: Presidential Election Shift
In 2016, Trump lost Miami-Dade County by seven points and lost the city by 19 points.
2017: Miami's GDP in 2017
In 2017, Miami's metropolitan area had a gross domestic product of $344.9 billion, making it the largest urban economy in Florida.
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 a major port.
2017: ParkScore Ranking in 2017
In 2017, The Trust for Public Land reported that the park system in the City of Miami was the 48th best park system among the 100 most populous U.S. cities.
2017: Tourism impact on Miami Economy
More than 15.9 million visitors arrived in Miami in 2017, adding $26.1 billion to the economy.
2018: Downtown population growth
Between 2010 and 2018, the downtown population of Miami grew by nearly 40%.
2018: UBS study of world cities in 2018
In a 2018 UBS study, Miami was ranked as the third-richest city in the U.S. and globally in terms of purchasing power.
2019: U.S. census data 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.
2019: Miami Open Moves to Hard Rock Stadium
In 2019, the Miami Open, an annual tennis tournament, moved to Hard Rock Stadium after being purchased by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross.
2020: 2020 report on at-risk cities
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: Miami as a Beta + level world city in 2020
According to the 2020 ranking of world cities by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC), Miami is considered a Beta + level world city.
2020: 2020 Census
As of 2020, Miami's Hispanic and Latino population was 310,472, representing 70.2 percent of the city's total population.
2020: ParkScore 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 black population decline
In the 2020 census, Miami's non-Hispanic Black population was 52,447, only 11.7% of the population.
2020: Miami population in 2020
In the 2020 census, Miami's population had grown by a further 10.7%, reaching 442,241.
2020: Miami's First Boat-In Movie Theater Opened
Miami's first boat-in movie theater opened in 2020.
2020: Presidential Election Shift
The 2020 presidential election marked a turning point, with Trump making substantial gains among Hispanic voters.
2020: Coldest maximum temperature average
The coldest maximum temperature average between 1991 and 2020 stood at 59 °F (15 °C).
2021: Miami's Unsheltered Homeless
In 2021 there were 555 unsheltered homeless people on the streets.
2022: Miami visitor count in 2022
In 2022, Miami was the second-most visited metropolitan area in the U.S. after New York City, with 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, with 591 unsheltered homeless people on the streets within the city limits.
2022: Florida Gubernatorial Election
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 hosted the 2024 Copa América final
Miami hosted the 2024 Copa América final in July 2024.
2024: Presidential Election Transformation
In the 2024 presidential election in Florida, Trump won Miami-Dade County by eleven points, the first time a Republican candidate had won the county since 1988.
2026: Miami to Host FIFA World Cup
Miami will serve as one of eleven U.S. host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
2070: Projected sea level rise by 2070
By 2070, sea level rise in Miami is projected to be 21 inches (53 cm) to 40 inches (100 cm), increasing storm damage and flooding.
