One of the most valuable stretches of property in the United States is located on the barrier islands in Miami-Dade County. To move to any of the small coastal cities in Miami-Dade County, you better be prepared to pay at least a half million dollars for a condo. Single family homes on the coast cost millions of dollars. The most valuable properties, usually located on man-made islands or on top of a residential tower, go for $35 million or more. If you got the bucks, the islands off the east coast of Miami are some of the best places to move in the United States.
Miami Beach and Key Biscayne are known worldwide for their elegant mansions and penthouses. Those are just the places in south Florida that you’ve heard of. There’s a string of luxurious beach cities on islands that occupy the east coast of Miami-Dade County. People who hire long-distance moving companies to transport them to these coastal cities in Miami-Dade County demand the best services possible. Running south from Hollywood Beach, these affluent coastal cities and large neighborhoods include:
Golden Beach. Located south of Hollywood Beach and east of Aventura, this exclusive beach town of less than 400 homes was first developed in 1929.
Sunny Isles Beach. The largest of the coastal beach cities besides Miami Beach and Key Biscayne, this town of more than 20,000 residents is nearly all single-family homes.
Bay Harbor Islands. Home to young professionals who drive ½ hour to work in Miami, nearly 85% of the residences in this exclusive neighborhood are condos or apartments.
Bal Harbor. On the northern tip of the Miami Beach barrier island east of Bay Harbor Islands, this city markets itself as a luxury destination for people from around the world
Surfside. Just north of North Beach on the Miami barrier island, about a third of the residents are Jewish. Indian Creek Country Club sits on an island in the Intracoastal west of Surfside.
North Bay Village. Consisting of three islands that are surrounded by Biscayne Bay, this town was dredged up in the 1940’s. Almost ⅔ of residents were born outside the US.
Venetian Isles. A chain of six artificial, man-made islands, this residential neighborhood is connected to Miami Beach barrier island by the Venetian Causeway.
MacArthur Causeway Islands. A set of three exclusive islands connected to Miami Beach by the MacArthur Causeway, it’s where the richest of the rich choose to live.
North Key Largo. Located in Martin County, almost all of the town’s residents live at the Ocean Reef Club. Ocean Reef is one of the most exclusive fishing communities in the country.
People who move to towns on the east coast of Miami often require special servicing. Sometimes they need an entire moving truck completely to themselves, which is called an exclusive delivery. Other times, people with money who move to the south Florida coast choose extra services, such as professional packing or special handling for their antiques or piano. Most of all, people who are well off want white-glove service from their moving crews at every juncture. To learn about luxury moving services to south Florida that are reasonably priced, contact your friendly American Van Lines sales agent today.
Two Awesome Coastal Beach Towns in Northeast Miami-Dade County
Golden Beach and Sunny Isles Beach are expensive coastal beach towns in northeast Miami-Dade County that still cling to the notion of old Florida. Golden Beach has limited high-rise buildings to a 30-foot maximum. Sunny Isles Beach, one of the most densely populated areas in America outside of New York City, held out against developers until the 21st century. After it became a municipality in 1997, Sunny Isles Beach embarked on a redevelopment effort that replaced mom-and-pop hotels with stunning high-rise towers on the beach.
Golden Beach Demographics
548 residents
363 single-family homes
More than $138,000 per capita income
Nearly $250,000 median household income
7.5% moved in 2022
Both communities are located between the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean in northeastern Miami-Dade County. The towns are north of Oleta River State Park and Haulover Park. Golden Beach is a small town where homes, nearly all of which are single-family, have a median value around $2 million. In Sunny Isles Beach, also consisting of single-family homes, the median value of a residence is almost $425,00. People who live in Golden Beach are an average age of 46, while Sunny Isles Beach residents are about 50 years old on average.
Sunny Isles Beach Demographics
22,202 residents
21,446 units, 97% are single family homes
Almost $51,000 per capita income
More than $57,000 median household income
14% moved in 2022
There’s a big difference in population size between the two towns. Sunny Isles Beach has more than 22,000 residents, while Golden Beach is inhabited by less than 600 residents. A beachfront home in Golden Beach was listed for $100 million in 2022. You could almost say Golden Beach is a bedroom community of Sunny Isles Beach, but that wouldn’t be quite correct. Sunny Isles Beach also has some of the most exclusive residences in south Florida. One beachfront mansion in Sunny Isles Beach was listed for $35 million, and a couple penthouses on the beach sold for nearly the same amount.
Towns that Share Barrier Island Homes with Miami Beach and South Beach
The large barrier island that contains Miami Beach was incorporated in 1915 in a one-story wood frame building. Now, at the northern end of the barrier island, you’ll find the exclusive environment of Bal Harbor. Just to the west of Bal Harbor is Bay Harbor Islands, while Surfside Beach lies just south of Bal Harbor. Miami Beach and South Beach occupy the southern half of the barrier island to the east of downtown Miami. To reach the northern end of the barrier island homes on the Miami Beach barrier island, your moving truck would travel across the Broadway Bridge on 123rd Street in Miami.
Bay Harbor Islands Demographics
5,880 residents
Nearly 2,6000 residential units, 85% are condos or apartments
More than $52,000 per capita income
More than $73,587 median household income
12.3% moved in 2022
Bal Harbor Demographics
3,037 residents
Almost 3,7000 residential units, 90% of which are condos or apartments
More than $102,000 per capita income
More than $86,000 median household income
7.7% moved in 2022
Bal Harbor is one of the most upscale sections of Miami. The average residence in town, nearly 90% of which are condos or apartments, goes for about $1.6 million. The average age of people who live in Bal Harbor is around 50 years old. The city’s per capita income is about double the amount an average Floridian makes. Just to the west of Bal Harbor is Bay Harbor Islands. Half of the people who live in Bay Harbor Islands were born outside the US. The two-island town was dredged up in 1947. About twice as many people live in Bay Harbor Islands compared to Bal Harbor.The average home in Bay Harbor Islands is worth about a third as much as a place in Bal Harbor. People who live in Bay Harbor Islands are about 15 years younger, on average, than Bal Harbor residents.
Surfside Demographics
5,625 residents
3,800 residential units, ⅔ of which are condos or apartments
Almost $48,000 per capita income
More than $73,000 household income
20.7% moved in 2022
Surfside, just south of Bal Harbor on the barrier isle, is more of an upscale, working-class town. The city’s per capita income is about 25% greater than the Florida average, but its median household income is only 10% higher than the rest of the state. The average age is 42, same as the state’s. More than a third of the town’s residents were born outside the US. The average price of a home in Surfside is almost $700,000. In 2023, a single-family home on the waterfront in Surfside sold for more than $15 million. Nearly one-fifth of Surfside residents reported moving to a new residence in 2022, which is among the highest rates of moving in the coastal cities near Miami.
Private Islands of Happiness for the Rich in Southeast Miami-Dade County
Some of the most valuable real estate in Miami was dredged up from the bottom of the bay. One of the most valuable pieces of land in Biscayne Bay is Fisher Island. Homes on Fisher Island, which lies off the southern tip of the Miami Beach barrier island, have an average value of around $20 million. Some of the most famous residents of Miami, such as Ivana Trump, reside on Fisher Island.
Fisher Island Demographics
681 residents
628 housing units, 90% multi unit housing
More than $418,000 per capita income
Around $25,000 median household income
23.8% moved
There are two other sets of islands in the middle of Biscayne Bay where real estate commands excessive funds. North Bay Village consists of North Bay Island, Harbor Island and Treasure Island. Homes on the three islands, about ⅔ of which are single-family residences, have an average value of around $430,000. A plethora of high-rise condos were built in the 2000’s. The town’s average age of 41 is slightly less than the Florida average. North Bay Village is reached via Ne 79th Street. About 10 miles south, the Venetian Islands are another string of six man-made islands that sprang from Biscayne Bay in 1925. The luxury homes found on the Venetian Isles can range between $1 million and $40 million. Nearly one-third of residents in the Venetian Islands are foreign born. The average age in the Venetian Isles is 49 years old. The six islands on the Venetian Causeway are Biscayne, San Marco, San Marino, Di Lido, Rivo Alto and Belle.
Venetian Islands Demographics
2,518 residents on Biscayne, San Marcos and DiLido islands
All in 33139 Zip code that includes Miami Beach
Almost $97,000 per capita income in Venetian Islands
MacArthur Causeway Islands Demographics
Star Island, Palm Island and Hibiscus Island
Less than 500 total residents
More than $145,000 per capita income
Star Island is another place where the richest of the rich live. Rick Ross recently purchased a home on the island for $35 million. Star Island, along with equally exclusive Palm Island and Hibiscus Island, are reached by the MacArthur Causeway. The average price of a home on Palm Island or Hibiscus Island is around $4.5 million. Only about 100 people live on each of the three islands, which lie south of the Venetian Islands in Biscayne Bay. The residences on the three islands off the MacArthur Causeway are among the most exclusive homes in Miami.
Finally, a tour of the most exclusive communities in south Florida wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the Ocean Reef Club. Located in North Key Largo in Martin County, the Ocean Reef Club maintains its own private airstrip for small planes to use. There are about 1,700 properties in Ocean Reef, which are about evenly split between single-family homes and condominiums. Condos go for between $1 million and $5 million, while house prices range between $2 million and $20 million or more. Many of the homes offer direct access to the Atlantic Ocean. The community was severely damaged by Hurricane Andrew in 1992, but quickly rebuilt. The average age at Ocean Reef is almost 69.
