Hialeah, Florida facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids

Hialeah, Florida

City

Houses in Hialeah

Flag

Seal

Nickname(s):

"The City of Progress"

Location in Miami-Dade County and the state of Florida

U.S. Census Bureau map showing city limits prior to most recent annexation

Country

United States of America

Florida

September 10, 1925

Government

• Type

Mayor-Council

Area

• City

22.82 sq mi (59.09 km²)

• Land

21.58 sq mi (55.90 km²)

• Water

1.24 sq mi (3.20 km²)

Elevation

7 ft (2 m)

Population

(2020)

• City

223,109

• Estimate

(2023)

221,300

• Density

10,338.21/sq mi (3,991.52/km²)

• Metro

6,166,488

Time zone

UTC−5 (EST)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−4 (EDT)

ZIP codes

33002, 33010-33018

Area code(s)

305, 786, 645

FIPS code

12-30000

GNIS feature ID

0305059

Hialeah (pronounced HY-ə-LEE-ə) is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. It is the sixth-largest city in Florida, with a population of over 223,000 people as of 2020. Hialeah is part of the larger Miami metropolitan area, which has millions of residents. The city is located west-northwest of Miami.

A special thing about Hialeah is that most of its residents are of Hispanic background. In 2020, about 94% of the people in Hialeah were Hispanic. It also has the highest number of Cuban and Cuban-American residents of any city in the U.S. Many people in Hialeah speak Spanish at home, making it an important part of daily life.

You can get around Hialeah using the Miami Metrorail system, which has several stations in the city. These stations help people travel to places like Downtown Miami and Miami International Airport.

History of Hialeah

The name "Hialeah" comes from the Muskogee or Seminole languages. It means "pretty prairie" or "Upland Prairie." The city is built on a large, flat area of land between Biscayne Bay and the Everglades.

How Hialeah Started

In 1921, a pilot named Glenn Curtiss and a cattleman named James H. Bright noticed this beautiful prairie. They decided to develop a town there. They also created the famous Hialeah Park Race Track. The town was officially named and planned out in 1921.

Downtown Hialeah in 1921

Tour buses for real estate in Hialeah in 1921

Early Entertainment and Challenges

In the 1920s, Hialeah was a place for fun and entertainment. People enjoyed sports like jai alai (a fast-paced ball game) and greyhound racing. Movies were even made there! However, a big hurricane in 1926 caused a lot of damage and stopped many of these activities.

Hialeah Park Race Track

The Hialeah Park Race Track opened in 1925. It was a very grand place, known for its beautiful Mediterranean style. Many famous people visited, including the Kennedy family, Harry Truman, and Winston Churchill. The park is also a special place for birds, as it is an Audubon Bird Sanctuary, famous for its pink flamingos. It is even listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

A famous pilot, Amelia Earhart, said her last goodbyes to the U.S. from Hialeah in 1937 before her final flight around the world.

Growth and Community Changes

Hialeah was first planned as a fancy playground, but it changed over time. After 1959, many Cuban exiles came to Hialeah, seeking a new home after the Cuban Revolution. These new residents, along with World War II veterans and city planners, helped turn Hialeah into a strong working-class community. It became a place where different groups built a new life.

Hialeah has grown very quickly. From only 1,500 people in 1925, it now has over 224,000 residents, making it one of Florida's largest cities.

Geography and Climate

Hialeah is located at about 25.86 degrees North latitude and 80.29 degrees West longitude.

The city covers about 19.7 square miles (51 square kilometers). Most of this area is land (19.2 square miles or 49.7 square kilometers), with a small part being water (0.5 square miles or 1.3 square kilometers).

Climate in Hialeah

Hialeah has a tropical monsoon climate. This means it has warm temperatures all year round and a wet season with a lot of rain.

Climate data for Hialeah, Florida, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1940–present
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	89 (32)	96 (36)	98 (37)	96 (36)	99 (37)	99 (37)	100 (38)	99 (37)	97 (36)	97 (36)	92 (33)	90 (32)	100 (38)
Mean maximum °F (°C)	84.2 (29.0)	86.4 (30.2)	88.7 (31.5)	90.7 (32.6)	92.9 (33.8)	93.7 (34.3)	94.9 (34.9)	94.3 (34.6)	93.0 (33.9)	91.5 (33.1)	87.4 (30.8)	85.5 (29.7)	96.2 (35.7)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	75.7 (24.3)	77.7 (25.4)	79.8 (26.6)	83.2 (28.4)	86.1 (30.1)	88.4 (31.3)	89.9 (32.2)	90.1 (32.3)	88.5 (31.4)	85.6 (29.8)	80.9 (27.2)	77.6 (25.3)	83.6 (28.7)
Daily mean °F (°C)	67.4 (19.7)	69.8 (21.0)	72.1 (22.3)	75.9 (24.4)	79.1 (26.2)	82.0 (27.8)	83.3 (28.5)	83.5 (28.6)	82.1 (27.8)	79.2 (26.2)	73.9 (23.3)	70.2 (21.2)	76.6 (24.8)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	59.1 (15.1)	61.9 (16.6)	64.5 (18.1)	68.5 (20.3)	72.2 (22.3)	75.5 (24.2)	76.7 (24.8)	76.9 (24.9)	75.8 (24.3)	72.8 (22.7)	66.8 (19.3)	62.9 (17.2)	69.5 (20.8)
Mean minimum °F (°C)	44.8 (7.1)	48.0 (8.9)	52.0 (11.1)	58.9 (14.9)	65.4 (18.6)	70.3 (21.3)	71.2 (21.8)	71.5 (21.9)	71.4 (21.9)	63.9 (17.7)	55.3 (12.9)	48.7 (9.3)	41.9 (5.5)
Record low °F (°C)	28 (−2)	30 (−1)	32 (0)	38 (3)	44 (7)	52 (11)	62 (17)	57 (14)	55 (13)	45 (7)	37 (3)	29 (−2)	28 (−2)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	2.03 (52)	2.29 (58)	2.81 (71)	3.81 (97)	6.08 (154)	11.45 (291)	7.92 (201)	9.98 (253)	11.53 (293)	8.23 (209)	4.00 (102)	2.80 (71)	72.93 (1,852)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	7.5	6.5	6.5	7.2	10.4	17.6	17.6	18.5	18.7	14.2	8.5	7.9	141.1
Source: NOAA

People of Hialeah

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1930	2,600	—
1940	3,958	52.2%
1950	19,676	397.1%
1960	66,972	240.4%
1970	102,452	53.0%
1980	145,254	41.8%
1990	188,004	29.4%
2000	226,419	20.4%
2010	224,669	−0.8%
2020	223,109	−0.7%
2022 (est.)	220,292	−1.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

Hialeah has grown a lot over the years. In 2020, there were 223,109 people living in the city.

Hispanic and Latino Population

Hialeah is known for its large Hispanic population. In 2020, about 94% of the people in Hialeah were Hispanic or Latino. This is one of the highest percentages in the United States. Many residents are of Cuban descent, making up about 84% of the population.

Most people in Hialeah speak Spanish at home. In 2022, about 89.5% of residents reported speaking Spanish. Only 9% spoke only English.

Economy of Hialeah

Sears entrance to Westland Mall

Hialeah is an important business area in Miami-Dade County. You can find many national stores here.

The city also has many local "mom-and-pop" shops. These smaller businesses do well even with big national stores around. Some supermarkets in Hialeah are specially designed for Latin American and Hispanic customers.

While Hialeah used to have many factories, new electronics and technology businesses have helped the city's economy grow. Westland Mall is a large shopping center with over 100 stores and restaurants. Telemundo, a big Spanish-language TV network, used to have its main office in Hialeah.

Fun Things to Do in Hialeah

Hialeah Park Race Track

In 2009, a big project began to restore the historic Hialeah Park Race Track. The park reopened for horse races and added slot machines. The plan is to make it an even bigger entertainment area with a hotel, restaurants, and a theater.

"Hialeah Park, Fla., the world's greatest race course, Miami Jockey Club"

Parks and Recreation Centers

Hialeah has many places for outdoor fun. There are three tennis centers, five public swimming pools, and more than 14 public parks. These parks cover over 100 acres! Milander Park has a large auditorium and a football stadium that seats 10,000 people.

Amelia Earhart Park is also a great place to visit. It's a huge park with 515 acres. It has a special "Bark Park" for dogs, mountain biking trails, and a place for water sports like wakeboarding and paddleboarding.

Recently, the city has been developing the "Leah Arts district." This area is becoming a hub for music and entertainment, with places like the Factory Town concert venue.

Education in Hialeah

Public Schools

Miami-Dade County Public Schools serves the students in Hialeah.

Some high schools in Hialeah have received awards for being excellent. For example, Mater Academy Charter High School and Miami Lakes Tech were recognized as "Silver" award winners by U.S. News & World Report.

Institution	Type	Grades	Enrollment	Nickname/mascot
Amelia Earhart Elementary School	Elementary	K–5	473	Airplanes
Ben Sheppard Elementary School	Magnet	K–5	963	Silver Hawks
Bob Graham Education Center	K–8 Center	K–8	1696	Bobcats
City of Hialeah Educational Academy	Charter	9–12	450	Bulldogs
Earnest R. Graham K–8 Academy	K–8 Center	K–8	1455	Eagles
Flamingo Elementary School	Elementary	K–5	950
Henry H. Filer Middle School	Middle	6–8	1093	Panthers
Hialeah Elementary School	Elementary	K–5	647	Tigers
Hialeah Middle School	Middle	6–8	872	Broncos
Hialeah High School	Senior High	9–12	2874	Thoroughbreds
Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School	Senior High	9–12	1668	Trojans
iPrep Academy @ Hialeah-Miami Lakes	Magnet	9–12	100	Trojans
James H. Bright/J.W. Johnson Elementary School	Elementary	K–5	690	Alligators
John G. DuPuis Elementary School	Elementary	K–5	637	Dolphins
José Martí MAST 6-12 Academy	Magnet	6–12	568	Silver Knights
M.A. Milam K-8 Center	K–8 Center	K–8	976	Colts
Mae M. Walters Elementary School	Elementary	K–5	625	Eagles
Meadowlane Elementary School	Elementary	K–5	985	Tigers
North Hialeah Elementary School	Elementary	K–5	573	Eagles
North Twin Lakes Elementary School	Elementary	K–5	554
Palm Lakes Elementary School	Elementary	K–5	747	Dolphins
Palm Springs Elementary School	Elementary	K–5	701	Florida Panthers
Palm Springs Middle School	Middle	6–8	1233	Pacers
South Hialeah Elementary School	Elementary	K–5	1107	Sharks
Twin Lakes Elementary School	Elementary	K–5	565	Eagles
Westland Hialeah High School	Magnet	9–12	2137	Wildcats
Youth Co-Op Preparatory Charter School	Charter	K–12		Tigers

Private Schools

Hialeah-Miami Lakes High

José Martí MAST 6-12 Academy

Champagnat Catholic School
Edison Private School
Horeb Christian School
Immaculate Conception School
Our Lady of Charity School
St. John the Apostle School

Colleges and Universities

Miami-Dade College has a campus in Hialeah. It's been an important academic center since 1980.
Private colleges include ASA College, College of Business and Technology, and Florida National University.

Public Library System

The Hialeah public library started in 1924, even before the city was officially formed. Unlike many other libraries in the county, Hialeah's libraries operate independently.

The first library was in the home of Ms. J Sommers Garwood, a member of the Hialeah Women's Club. This club was founded by Ms. Lua Adams Curtiss, who was the mother of Glenn Curtiss. The newest branch, the John F. Kennedy Library, is now the main library. It has beautiful murals, new furniture, and a special collection about Hialeah's history.

Transportation in Hialeah

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"

The intersection of Palm Avenue and County Road (now Okeechobee Road / U.S. 27) in 1921

Tri-Rail and Metrorail Transfer Station

Hialeah is well-connected to other areas by various transportation options.

Train Services

You can use Miami-Dade Transit's Miami Metrorail and Tri-Rail to travel around Hialeah and to other cities. Amtrak also has a station here for longer train journeys.

Metrorail Stations: