Miami-Dade County generates more wealth than any other county in Florida, with a gross domestic product exceeding $200 billion. However, beneath this economic success lies a less acknowledged reality: the backbone of this economy—largely composed of Latino immigrants—often earns wages insufficient for a decent standard of living.
Legal or undocumented, nearly seven out of ten county residents are Latino, with most born outside the United States. These individuals are the workforce that keeps hotels, restaurants, construction, and retail sectors running. Without them, the so-called Magic City would come to a standstill.
Many arrived with hopes of a better life, fleeing dictatorships, economic crises, or violence in countries such as Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Haiti, and Colombia. Today, their labor fuels key sectors like tourism, a cornerstone of the local economy.
Yet, economic growth is not evenly distributed. According to the ALICE Report by United Way—which measures households struggling financially—Latinos in Miami-Dade face wages that fall short of covering basic needs. More than half of working households fall into the category of limited income, where earnings are insufficient to meet essential living costs.
Florida’s minimum wage stands at $13 per hour, or less than $30,000 annually, which is far below the actual cost of living in one of the country’s most expensive regions. Unlike cities such as New York or San Francisco, where local governments can raise the minimum wage, Florida law prohibits such adjustments at the county level. Since 2003, a rule signed by then-Governor Jeb Bush has blocked counties like Miami-Dade from aligning wages with local economic conditions.
Although not everyone earns the minimum wage, the median household income remains below $70,000 annually—insufficient for a decent life in South Florida. Many resort to taking on additional jobs or working long hours to make ends meet.
The housing crisis in Miami-Dade further exacerbates the situation. A shortage of more than 90,000 affordable housing units forces thousands to live in precarious conditions or spend nearly half their income on rent.
For many immigrants, this means sharing homes with strangers, accepting unsanitary living conditions, or frequently relocating. Others are pushed to move to more distant areas like Homestead or Broward, increasing commute times and diminishing quality of life.
Far from being a burden, as some political narratives suggest, Latino immigrants have been central to Miami-Dade’s economic growth for decades.
Even undocumented immigrants in Florida contributed $1.8 billion in state and local taxes in 2022, according to data from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP).
Meanwhile, in Washington D.C., the approval of the so-called “big and beautiful” law from the Trump administration promises to boost the national economy.
However, in communities like Hialeah, Little Havana, or Homestead, there is growing concern that cuts to programs such as SNAP, Medicare, and Medicaid—on which thousands rely—could deepen inequality even further.
The gap in Miami-Dade is not only economic; it also affects health and education outcomes. This is not just about statistics or budgets—it is about dignity.
For the county to continue growing, it must become more inclusive. That requires policies that raise wages, promote affordable housing, and protect those who make this prosperity possible.
Because the success of a place is not measured solely by macroeconomic figures, but by the opportunities it offers its people—especially those who, from the margins, have powered the economic engine of South Florida with their labor.