History of Miami in Timeline

Miami is a major coastal city located in South Florida, serving as the county seat of Miami-Dade County. It anchors a large metropolitan area of over 6 million residents, making it the second-largest in the Southeastern United States. As of 2020, the city itself has a population of over 442,000, ranking it the second most populous city in Florida. Known for its impressive skyline, Miami boasts the third-largest skyline in the U.S., characterized by numerous high-rise buildings.

1900: Miami population in 1900

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

February 3, 1917: Lowest Temperature on Record

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

1922: Establishment of Coral Way in 1922

Coral Way was built in 1922 as a historic residential neighborhood between Downtown and Coral Gables, featuring old homes and tree-lined streets.

1925: Tornado struck Miami in 1925

A tornado struck Miami in 1925, which is an uncommon event for the area.

1925: Annexation of Coconut Grove in 1925

Coconut Grove, settled in 1825, was annexed into Miami in 1925. It is a historic neighborhood known for its narrow, winding roads and heavy tree canopy.

1926: 1926 Miami Hurricane

The 1926 Miami Hurricane slowed Miami's development.

1940: Miami's population in 1940

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

July 21, 1942: Highest Temperature on Record

On July 21, 1942, Miami recorded its historical highest temperature of 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 Summer Dates Range

From 1956, the date summer began ranged from April 16 to June 3.

1959: Cuban Revolution of 1959

Following the Cuban Revolution in 1959, many wealthy Cubans sought refuge in Miami, contributing to the city's population growth.

1970: Miami population in 1970

By the 1970 census, Miami's population reached 334,859.

1970: Miami's population demographics in 1970

In 1970, Miami's population was reported as 45.3% Hispanic, 32.9% non-Hispanic White, and 22.7% Black.

1972: Miami's national profile in 1972

In 1972, Miami hosted both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions and the Miami Dolphins had their undefeated season. Educational and cultural institutions also developed significantly.

January 19, 1977: Snow Flurries in Miami

On January 19, 1977, snow flurries fell in some parts of Miami, marking a rare occurrence.

1985: First Cuban-born mayor of Miami in 1985

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

1988: Republican Candidate Win in Miami-Dade County

Prior to the 2024 election, the last time a Republican candidate had won Miami-Dade County was in 1988.

December 1989: Coldest Daytime Maximum Temperature in December 1989

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

1990: Peak Non-Hispanic Black Population in 1990

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

1991: Coldest Maximum Temperature Average

Between 1991 and 2020, the coldest maximum temperature average stood at 59 °F (15 °C).

1997: Tornado struck Miami in 1997

A tornado struck Miami in 1997, which is an uncommon event for the area.

1997: End of Summer Dates Range

Until 1997, the date summer ended ranged from September 24 to November 1.

2000: Miami population in 2000

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

2000: Miami's population demographics in 2000

From 1970 to 2000, Miami's population growth was stagnant, but significant immigration from Latin America made up the balance.

2000: Non-Hispanic White Population Nadir in 2000

In 2000, the non-Hispanic White population reached a low of 11.8% of Miami's population.

2001: Miami's Government Bankrupcy

In 2001, Miami became one of the very few cities in the U.S. where the local government went bankrupt.

2002: Republican Candidate in Miami-Dade County

Before the 2022 election, the last time a Republican candidate won Miami-Dade County was in 2002.

2003: Free Trade Area of the Americas Negotiations

In 2003, Miami hosted the Free Trade Area of the Americas negotiations.

2007: Miami's Rude Drivers

In 2007, Miami was identified as having the rudest drivers in the United States, the second year in a row to have been cited, in a poll commissioned by automobile club AutoVantage.

2007: Housing Market Crash

In 2007, the housing market crash 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's New Production Studio

In 2009, Univision announced plans to build a new production studio in Miami, dubbed Univision Studios.

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2010: Miami Population in 2010

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

2010: American and Arab ancestry in Miami in 2010

In 2010, 1.9% of the population considered themselves to be of only American ancestry, while 0.5% were of Arab ancestry.

2010: City Residents Origins in 2010

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, and 4.0% had other Hispanic or Latino origins.

2010: City Residents West Indian 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: Miami College Graduations

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

2010: Miami's Bike-Friendly Ranking

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

2010: Completion of Miami Intermodal Center

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

2010: Non-Hispanic White Population in 2010

In 2010, the non-Hispanic White population rose to 11.9% of Miami's population.

2010: Asian ancestry in Miami in 2010

In 2010, those of Asian ancestry were 1.0% of Miami's population.

November 2011: Norwegian Seamen's Church Opening in November 2011

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

2011: Miami's Walkability Ranking

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

2011: Telemundo's Filming in Miami

In 2011, 85% of Telemundo's original programming was filmed in Miami.

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2012: MiamiCentral Station Phase I Completion

In 2012, Phase I of MiamiCentral Station was completed.

2012: Miami's Poverty Ranking

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, behind Detroit, Cleveland, and Cincinnati.

2012: Miami Central Station Completion Expectation

The Miami Central Station was expected to be completed by 2012, but experienced several delays.

2013: Miami's Gross Metropolitan Product

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

2013: Newspaper Headquarters Relocation

In 2013, The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald left their longtime home in Downtown Miami and moved to the former home of U.S. Southern Command in Doral.

2014: Opening of the Port of Miami Tunnel

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

2014: Religion in Miami in 2014

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: Miami Central Station Completion Delay

The Miami Central Station was expected to be completed in late 2014, but was pushed back again.

2015: U.S. Census Findings

According to the U.S. census between 2015 and 2019, Miami was lacking in 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, which decreased to 18.6% in 2016.

2015: Miami Hosts Formula E Race

In 2015, Miami hosted a one-off Formula E race.

2015: Completion of Tri-Rail Part of Phase II

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

2015: Miami Central Station Completion Delay

In 2015, the completion of the Miami Central Station was again pushed back.

2016: Transportation Usage in Miami

In 2016, 72.3% of working city of Miami residents commuted by driving alone, 8.7% carpooled, 9% used public transportation, and 3.7% walked. Also in 2016, Miami averaged 1.24 cars per household, compared to a national average of 1.8 per household.

2016: Closure of Archbishop Curley-Notre Dame High School

In 2016, Archbishop Curley-Notre Dame High School closed, it was in the Miami city limits.

2016: Miami's Foreign Tourist Numbers

In 2016, Miami attracted the second-highest number of foreign tourists of any city in the United States, after New York City.

2016: Presidential Election Shift

In the 2016 presidential election, there was a notable shift in Miami-Dade County, where Trump lost the county by seven points and lost the city by 19 points, a 21 point shift to the right.

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 Passenger and Cargo Volume

In 2017, PortMiami served 5,340,559 cruise passengers and imported 9,162,340 tons of cargo.

2017: ParkScore Ranking of Miami's Park System

In 2017, The Trust for Public Land reported that the park system in the City of Miami was ranked 48th among the 100 most populous U.S. cities.

2018: Downtown Population Growth Between 2010 and 2018

Between 2010 and 2018, the downtown population of Miami grew by nearly 40%.

2018: Miami's ranking in UBS study in 2018

In a 2018 UBS study of 77 world cities, Miami was ranked as the third-richest city in the U.S. and globally in terms of purchasing power.

2019: Miami Open Move to Hard Rock Stadium

In 2019, the Miami Open, an annual tennis tournament, was purchased by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and moved to Hard Rock Stadium from Key Biscayne.

2020: Climate change report in 2020

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

2020: Miami's Hispanic and Latino population in 2020

As of 2020, Miami's Hispanic and Latino population was 310,472, representing 70.2 percent of the city's total population.

2020: Coldest Maximum Temperature Average

Between 1991 and 2020, the coldest maximum temperature average stood at 59 °F (15 °C).

2020: Miami's World City Ranking

In 2020, the Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC) ranked Miami as a Beta + level world city based on the presence of global corporate service organizations.

2020: Miami population in 2020

In 2020, the census reported Miami's population as 442,241, making it the second-most populous city in Florida after Jacksonville.

2020: ParkScore Ranking of Miami's Park System

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 the population of Miami, totaling 61,829, the highest number since the 1980s.

2020: Miami's First Boat-In Movie Theater

Miami's first boat-in movie theater opened in 2020.

2020: Presidential Election Shift

The 2020 presidential election marked a turning point in Miami, with Trump making substantial gains among Hispanic voters, especially within the Cuban-American community.

2021: Homeless Count in Miami in 2021

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

2022: Miami Tourism in 2022

In 2022, the Miami metropolitan area was the second-most visited 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, 970 of which were on the streets.

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 and only lost the city of Miami by one-and-a-half points.

July 2024: Miami Hosted Copa América Final

In July 2024, Miami hosted the Copa América final.

2024: Presidential Election in Florida

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