Hialeah

Incorporated in 1925. The city is notable for its high Hispanic proportion, which was 94% in 2020; this was the second-highest proportion of Hispanic Americans in the contiguous United States, and the highest proportion among incorporated communities outside of Puerto Rico. Hialeah also has the highest proportion of Cuban and Cuban-American residents of any city in the United States, at 84.1% of the population, making them a prominent feature of the city's culture. In 2023, 89.5% of residents reported speaking Spanish at home, and the language is an important part of daily life in the city. Served by the Miami Metrorail at the Okeechobee, Hialeah, and Tri-Rail/Metrorail Transfer stations. The Okeechobee and Hialeah stations serve primarily as park-and-ride commuter stations for commuters and residents going into Downtown Miami, and the Tri-Rail station for Miami International Airport and north to West Palm Beach.

• Name — Hialeah, Florida • Settlement Type — City • Nickname — "The City of Progress" • Mapsize — 250x200px • Mapsize1 — 250x200px • Subdivision Type — Country • Subdivision Name — United States • Subdivision Type1 — State • Subdivision Name1 — Florida • Subdivision Type2 — County • Subdivision Name2 — Miami-Dade • Established Title — Incorporated • Established Date — September 10, 1925 • Government Type — Mayor-Council • Leader Title — Mayor • Leader Name — Bryan Calvo • Unit Pref — Imperial • Area Total Km2 — 59.09 • Area Land Km2 — 55.90 • Area Water Km2 — 3.20 • Area Total Sq Mi — 22.82 • Area Land Sq Mi — 21.58 • Area Water Sq Mi — 1.24 • Population As Of — 2020 • Population Total — 223109 • Population Density Km2 — 3991.52 • Population Density Sq Mi — 10338.21 • Pop Est As Of — 2023 • Population Est — 221300 • Population Metro — 6,166,488 • Timezone — EST • Utc Offset — -5 • Timezone Dst — EDT • Utc Offset Dst — -4 • Elevation Ft — 0 • Postal Code Type — ZIP codes • Postal Code — 33002, 33010-33018 • Area Codes — 305, 786, 645 • Blank Name — FIPS code • Blank Info — 12-30000 • Blank1 Name — GNIS feature ID • Blank1 Info — 2404689

The city's name is most commonly attributed to Muskogee origin, "Haiyakpo" (prairie) and "hili" (pretty) combining in "Hialeah" to mean "pretty prairie". Alternatively, the word is of Seminole origin meaning "Upland Prairie". The city is located upon a large prairie between Biscayne Bay and the Everglades. This "high prairie" caught the eye of pioneer aviator Glenn Curtiss and Missouri cattleman James H. Bright in 1921. Together, they developed not only the town of Hialeah but also Hialeah Park Race Track. In 1921, the first plat was drawn up, and the town was named. • Illustration — Downtown Hialeah in 1921 • Illustration — Group of tour buses sponsored by real estate developers in Hialeah in 1921 In the early "Roaring '20s", Hialeah produced significant entertainment contributions. Sporting included the Spanish sport of jai alai and greyhound racing, and media included silent movies like D.W. Griffith's The White Rose which was made at the Miami Movie Studios located in Hialeah. However, the 1926 Miami hurricane brought many of these activities to an end. In the years since its incorporation in 1925, many historical events and people have been associated with Hialeah. The local Miccosukee leader Jack Tigertail is in the official seal of the City of Hialeah. The opening of the horse racing course at Hialeah Park Race Track in 1925 (which was nicknamed the "Grand Dame") received more coverage in the Miami media than any other sporting event in the history of Dade County up to that time and since then there have been countless horse racing histories played out at the world-famous 220 acre park. It was considered one of the most grand thoroughbred horse racing parks with its majestic Mediterranean style architecture and was considered the Jewel of Hialeah at the time. The park's grandeur has attracted millions, included among them are names known around the world such as the Kennedy family, Harry Truman, General Omar Bradley, Winston Churchill, and J.P. Morgan. The Hialeah Park Race Track also holds the dual distinction of being an Audubon Bird Sanctuary due to its famous pink flamingos and being listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The famous aviator Amelia Earhart in 1937 said her final good-byes to the continental U.S. from Hialeah as she left on her ill-fated flight around the world in 1937. While Hialeah was once envisioned as a playground for the elite, Cuban exiles fleeing Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution, as well as World War II veterans and city planners, transformed the city into a working-class community. Hialeah historian Patricia Fernández-Kelly explained, "It became an affordable Eden." She further describes the city as "a place where different groups have left their imprint while trying to create a sample of what life should be like." Several waves of Cuban exiles, starting after the Cuban Revolution in 1959 and continuing through to the Freedom Flights from 1965 to 1973, the Mariel boatlift in 1980, and the Balseros or boat people of the late 1990s, created what at least one expert has considered the most economically successful immigrant enclave in U.S. history as Hialeah is the only American industrial city that continues to grow. From a population of 1,500 in 1925, Hialeah has grown faster than most of the 10 larger cities in the state of Florida since the 1960s and holds the rank of Florida's sixth-largest city, with more than 224,000 residents. The city is also one of the largest employers in Dade County. In January 2009, Forbes magazine listed Hialeah as one of the most "boring" cities in the United States; Forbes defined this by low media presence in the city.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 19.7 sqmi. 19.2 sqmi of it is land and 0.5 sqmi of it (2.53%) is water.

According to the Köppen climate classification, Hialeah has a tropical monsoon climate (Am).

• Miami Lakes, Opa-locka • Unincorporated Miami-Dade County Westview • Hialeah Gardens, Medley, Miami Springs Westview, West Little River, Gladeview, Brownsville • Miami Springs Miami • Hialeah Gardens, Medley, Miami Springs

• Historical demographics — 2020 — 2010 — 2000 — 1990 — 1980 • White (non-Hispanic) — 4.3% — 4.2% — 8.1% — 10.9% — 23.9% • Hispanic or Latino — 94.0% — 94.7% — 90.3% — 87.6% — 74.3% • Black or African American (non-Hispanic) — 0.6% — 0.5% — 0.9% — 0.9% — 1.1% • Asian and Pacific Islander (non-Hispanic) — 0.4% — 0.3% — 0.4% — 0.4% — 0.7% • Native American (non-Hispanic) — Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race. • Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) — Pop 2000 — Pop 2010 — Pop 2020 — % 2000 — % 2010 — % 2020 • White alone (NH) — 18,267 — 9,511 — 9,684 — 8.07% — 4.23% — 4.34% • Black or African American alone (NH) — 2,127 — 1,209 — 1,380 — 0.94% — 0.54% — 0.62% • Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) — 92 — 73 — 68 — 0.04% — 0.03% — 0.03% • Asian alone (NH) — 814 — 697 — 877 — 0.36% — 0.31% — 0.39% • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) — 14 — 2 — 12 — 0.01% — 0.00% — 0.01% • Other race alone (NH) — 68 — 119 — 534 — 0.03% — 0.05% — 0.24% • Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) — 494 — 253 — 770 — 0.22% — 0.11% — 0.35% • Hispanic or Latino (any race) — 204,543 — 212,805 — 209,784 — 90.34% — 94.72% — 94.03% • Total — 85,781 — 93,853 — 223,109 — 100.00% — 100.00% — 100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 223,109 people, 76,459 households, and 56,047 families residing in the city.

In 2015 through 2016, the population in Hialeah grew from 234,714 to 235,626, a 0.4% increase. The median household income grew from $29,249 to $29,817, a 1.9% increase. As of the 2010 United States census, there were 224,669 people, 73,826 households, and 56,896 families residing in the city. In 2010, Hialeah was the tenth-largest city in the United States among cities with a population density of more than 10000 PD/sqmi.

As of 2000, 36.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.4% were married couples living together, 17.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.7% were non-families. 14.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.15 and the average family size was 3.39. In 2000, the age distribution of the population showed 23.0% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males. In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $29,492, and the median income for a family was $31,621. Males had a median income of $23,133 versus $17,886 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,402. About 16.0% of families and 18.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.2% of those under age 18 and 22.4% of those age 65 or over. As of 2022, 89.5% of the population spoke Spanish at home, while those who spoke only English made up 9.0% of the population. All other languages spoken were below 1% of the population.

• Illustration — Sears entrance to Westland Mall The city of Hialeah is a commercial center in Miami-Dade County. The city is host to many national retailers. Hialeah has many mom-and-pop stores and supermarkets operating on the city's main streets, including those which cater to Latin American and Hispanic clientele. While most of the manufacturing and cloth industries that made Hialeah an industrial city in the 1970s–1980s have disappeared, new electronics and technology businesses have reinvigorated the local economy. Westland Mall contains over 100 stores and several restaurants. Telemundo, the second largest Spanish-language TV network in the United States, was headquartered at 2340 West 8th Avenue in Hialeah until 2018.

In March 2009, it was announced that a $40–$90 million restoration project was set to begin within the year on the Hialeah Park Race Track. On May 7, 2009, the Florida legislature agreed to a deal with the Seminole Tribe of Florida that allowed Hialeah Park to operate slot machines and run Quarter Horse races. The historic racetrack reopened on November 28, 2009, but only for Quarter Horse races. The park installed slot machines in January 2010 as part of a deal to allow for two calendar seasons of racing. The races went on all the way until February 2, 2010. Only a portion of the park has been restored, and an additional $30 million will be needed to complete this first phase of the project. The full transformation is expected to cost $1 billion since the plan includes a complete redevelopment of the surrounding area including the construction of an entertainment complex to include a hotel, restaurants, casinos, stores and a theater. In June 2010 concerns were raised over the preservation of Hialeah Park's historical status, as the planned development threatens to hurt Hialeah Park's status as a National Historic Landmark. • Illustration — "Hialeah Park, Fla., the world's greatest race course, Miami Jockey Club" The City of Hialeah is home to three tennis centers, five public swimming pools and aquatic centers, and more than 14 public parks totaling more than 100 acre combined. Milander Park features a municipal auditorium and a 10,000 seat football stadium. Amelia Earhart Park also serves the Hialeah community. Located just south of the Opa Locka Airport, the park consists of 515 acres, including a five-acre Bark Park for dogs. It offers a variety of amenities, programs and activities including mountain biking, soccer, Tom Sawyer's Play Island and Bill Graham Farm Village. It also houses the new Miami Watersports Complex, which offers cable and boat wakeboarding, waterskiing, wake surfing, kneeboarding and paddleboarding. Starting in 2022 the city has worked on developing the "Leah Arts district" centered around the Factory Town concert venue including bars, music venues, and other entertainment themed businesses.

The University of Florida College of Dentistry operates the Hialeah Dental Clinic. It opened in 1997 to serve Hispanic populations in South Florida.

Hialeah is located within Florida's 26th congressional district. It is currently represented in the House of Representatives by Mario Díaz-Balart, a Republican. A 2005 study by the nonpartisan Bay Area Center for Voting Research (BACVR) ranked Hialeah, Florida as the fourth most conservative city in the United States. The current mayor of Hialeah is Bryan Calvo. As of 2020, Hialeah leaned towards Republican politics. In the 2016 United States presidential election in Florida each of the two major candidates received about half of the vote. For the 2020 United States presidential election in Florida, about two thirds of residents of Hialeah voted for Trump. In 2024, that number increased as 76% of Hialeah voters voted for Trump. List of mayors of Hialeah, Florida • Dates — Mayor — Notes • 1925–1930 — John Peter Grethen — Died in office • 1930–1933 — Robert W. Marshall — Acting Mayor due to vacancy • 1933–1935 — Grover Cleveland (Doc) Sparks — Namesake of Sparks Park • 1935–1937 — Dr. Leon H. O'Quinn • 1937–1943 — Carl Ault — 3 consecutive terms, twice unopposed • 1943–1945 — Henry Milander — Namesake of Milander Park • 1945–1947 — Carl Ault — Returned for one term • 1947–1975 — Henry Milander — Re-elected 8 times; died in office • 1975–1981 — Dale G. Bennett • 1981–1991 — Raúl L. Martínez — Convicted of extortion and racketeering • 1991–1993 — Julio J. Martinez — Acting mayor • 1993–2005 — Raúl L. Martínez • 2005–2011 — Julio Robaina • 2011–2021 — Carlos Hernández — Acting Mayor after Robaina resigned; later elected as Mayor • 2021–2025 — Esteban Bovo • 2025–2026 — Jacqueline Garcia-Roves — Acting Mayor after Bovo resigned • 2026–present — Bryan Calvo

Miami-Dade County Public Schools serves Hialeah. Two high schools serving the Hialeah community, Mater Academy Charter High School and Miami Lakes Tech, were named as "Silver" award winners in U.S. News & World Reports "Best High Schools 2008 Search". • Institution — Type — Grades — Enrollment — Nickname/mascot • Elementary — K–5 — 473 — Airplanes • Magnet — K–5 — 963 — Silver Hawks • K–8 Center — K–8 — 1696 — Bobcats • Charter — 9–12 — 450 — Bulldogs • K–8 Center — K–8 — 1455 — Eagles • Elementary — K–5 — 950 • Middle — 6–8 — 1093 — Panthers • Elementary — K–5 — 647 — Tigers • Middle — 6–8 — 872 — Broncos • Senior High — 9–12 — 2874 — Thoroughbreds • Senior High — 9–12 — 1668 — Trojans • Magnet — 9–12 — 100 — Trojans • Elementary — K–5 — 690 — Alligators • Elementary — K–5 — 637 — Dolphins • Magnet — 6–12 — 568 — Silver Knights • K–8 Center — K–8 — 976 — Colts • Elementary — K–5 — 625 — Eagles • Elementary — K–5 — 985 — Tigers • Elementary — K–5 — 573 — Eagles • Elementary — K–5 — 554 • Elementary — K–5 — 747 — Dolphins • Elementary — K–5 — 701 — Florida Panthers • Middle — 6–8 — 1233 — Pacers • Elementary — K–5 — 1107 — Sharks • Elementary — K–5 — 565 — Eagles • Magnet — 9–12 — 2137 — Wildcats • Charter — K–12 — Tigers

• Illustration — Hialeah-Miami Lakes High • Illustration — José Martí MAST 6-12 Academy • Champagnat Catholic School – serves mainly southern and south-central Hialeah • Edison Private School • Horeb Christian School • Immaculate Conception School • Our Lady of Charity School – a private Catholic school not formally associated with the Roman Catholic Church, located in Hialeah • St. John the Apostle School – serves mainly southern and south-central Hialeah

• Miami-Dade College Hialeah Campus has served as the city's academic center since 1980. Besides its academic mission, the campus also sponsors numerous cultural and community events.

• ASA College • College of Business and Technology • Florida National University

Hialeah's public library was founded in 1924, one year prior to the incorporation of the city. While over the years the county-wide Miami-Dade Public Library System has taken over the libraries of most of the cities in the county, Hialeah public libraries function independently from the county-wide system. The first branch was a donation by the Hialeah Women's Club. It was actually located in the house of one of the Hialeah Women's Club's home. The home of Ms. J Sommers Garwood. The club was founded by Ms. Lua Adams Curtiss, who was the late mother of the famous aviator Glenn Curtiss. The club asked for donations to get the library started and was fortunate enough to receive enough to get the system started. The latest branch, John F. Kennedy Library is now the main library for Hialeah and is easily recognizable for its grand murals. In 2017, the branch set out to renovate the entire library and they added new furniture, the art murals, polished terrazzo floors, and new sculptures. The library hosts a print collection, digital resources, and a Hialeah History Collection which collects, preserves and provides access to information about the City of Hialeah's history.

• Illustration — A projection from 1922 that reads "A projection of the town of Hialeah at the Curtiss-Bright Ranch: Gateway to the Everglades, the first town west of Miami, Florida" • Illustration — The intersection of Palm Avenue (now President Donald J. Trump Avenue) and County Road (now Okeechobee Road / U.S. 27) in 1921 In 2013, Hialeah was named a top five city with the worst drivers by Slate and Allstate.

Hialeah is served by Miami-Dade Transit along major thoroughfares by Metrobus, and by the Miami Metrorail, Tri-Rail, and Amtrak at: Metrorail: • Tri-Rail/Metrorail Transfer (North 79th Street and West 37th Avenue) • Hialeah (East 21st Street and East 1st Avenue) • Okeechobee (West 19th Street and South Okeechobee Road) Tri-Rail: • Tri-Rail/Metrorail Transfer (North 79th Street and West 37th Avenue) • Hialeah Market (North 41st Street and West 38th Avenue) Amtrak: • Amtrak-Miami: Floridian and Silver Meteor service (North 79th Street and West 37th Avenue)

"All Ways Lead to Hialeah" was one of the city's first slogans. At the time, Glenn Curtiss and James Bright could not have imagined the important link in the transportation chain provided by Hialeah's location. Sitting in the heart of northwest Dade, Hialeah has access to several major thoroughfares, linked by: • Interstate 75 • State Road 826 (Palmetto Expressway) • Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike • U.S. Route 27 (Okeechobee Road) • State Road 924 (Gratigny Parkway) In November 2023, the Hialeah City Council voted to rename Palm Avenue as President Donald J. Trump Avenue, causing major controversy. • Illustration — Maria Canals-Barrera

• Illustration — Harry Wayne Casey • Illustration — Gio González • Illustration — Maria Molina • Illustration — Rocco Valdes • Agustin Anello, soccer player • Alex Avila, Major League Baseball player for Arizona Diamondbacks • Paul E. Beaudoin, composer and interdisciplinary artist • Jacqueline Becerra, federal judge • Terry Borcheller, racing driver • Esteban Bovo, mayor of Hialeah, Florida (2021–2025) • Devin Bush, NFL free safety for three teams • Maria Canals-Barrera, actress • Rene Capo, U.S. Olympic representative as a judoka • Harry Wayne Casey, lead singer of KC and the Sunshine Band • Chris Corchiani, NBA guard for three teams • Nestor Cortes, MLB pitcher for the New York Yankees • Erik Courtney, Bravo TV personality on Newlyweds: The First Year • Jack Daugherty, MLB first baseman for three teams • Rohan Davey, NFL quarterback for three teams • Nick Davila, MLB pitcher for the Seattle Mariners • Bucky Dent, professional baseball player for MLB New York Yankees • Vincent D'Onofrio, actor and producer of stage, film and television • Nick Esasky, MLB infielder for three teams • J.C. Escarra, MLB Catcher for the New York Yankees • Bobby Estalella, MLB catcher for six teams • Luis Exposito, former Major League Baseball player • Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. attorney for Southern District of Florida • René García, Hialeah city councilman and Florida State House representative • Gio González, MLB pitcher for two teams • Luchi Gonzalez, coach of FC Dallas • Ted Hendricks, former professional NFL football player • Charlie Hough, former professional baseball player, Hialeah High graduate • Richard Hough, former professional baseball player, Hialeah High graduate • Greg Jackson, professional football player • Catherine Keener, Oscar-nominated actress • Barbara Lagoa, judge • Corey Lemonier, Auburn University and NFL defensive end • Manny Machado, Major League Baseball third baseman for the San Diego Padres • Kiel Martin, played J. D. LaRue on Hill Street Blues, Hialeah High graduate • Lizbet Martínez, Cuban violinist and teacher at M.A. Milam K-8 Center • Raúl L. Martínez, longest-seated mayor in Hialeah history (1981–2005) • Maria Molina, meteorologist • Oscar Múñoz, MLB pitcher for Minnesota Twins • Roell Preston, professional football player • Mike Rio, professional mixed martial arts fighter • Julio Robaina, mayor of Hialeah • Rick Sánchez, CNN anchor/correspondent • Jon Secada, Grammy Award–winning musician • Michael Timpson, NFL wide receiver • Ariel Torres, U.S. Olympic bronze medalist as a karateka • Rocco Valdes, music producer, songwriter, music manager • Pedro Zamora, HIV/AIDS educator, public speaker