Sweetwater, Miami-Dade County, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sweetwater, Florida
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| City of Sweetwater | ||
Dolphin Mall, Sweetwater
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| Nickname(s):
Little Nicaragua
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| Motto(s):
"Family, God, Education"
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U.S. Census Bureau map showing city limits prior to the 2010 annexation
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| Country |  United States of America |
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| State |  Florida |
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| County |  Miami-Dade |
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| Incorporated | October 10, 1941 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Mayor-Commission | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 2.30 sq mi (10.96 km2) | |
| • Land | 2.19 sq mi (5.68 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.11 sq mi (0.28 km2) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 19,363 | |
| • Density | 8,833.49/sq mi (3,410.48/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| ZIP Codes |
33172, 33174 (Miami)
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| Area code(s) | 305, 786, 645 | |
| FIPS code | 12-70345 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 2405554 | |
Sweetwater is a city located in Miami-Dade County, Florida, in the United States. It's part of the larger Miami metropolitan area in South Florida. In 2020, about 19,363 people lived there. This was a big jump from its population of 13,499 in 2010.
Contents
Geography of Sweetwater
Sweetwater is about 12 miles west of downtown Miami. It shares borders with several other communities. To the north and northeast is Doral. To the southeast, you'll find Fontainebleau. Westchester is to the south, and Tamiami is to the west.
Major roads like the Ronald Reagan Turnpike run along its western side. The Dolphin East-West Expressway cuts through the middle of the city. U.S. Route 41 (Southwest 8th Street) marks the city's southern border.
Sweetwater covers about 4.3 square miles. Most of this area, about 3.9 square miles, is land. The rest, about 0.4 square miles, is water. In 2010, the city grew much larger when it added new areas, including where Dolphin Mall is located. This new area is generally between Northwest Seventh and 25th streets, 107th Avenue, and Florida's Turnpike extension.
On December 1, 2021, Sweetwater expanded again. The county approved adding 2 square miles of land. This area is bordered by NW 25th Street to the north and NW 12th Street to the south. Florida's Turnpike extension is to the east, and NW 137th Avenue is to the west. This expansion doubled Sweetwater's size. It also brought in the main office of the Telemundo television network. Many other big companies like Topgolf, Amazon, Goya, Home Depot, and City Furniture are now also in Sweetwater.
History of Sweetwater
The story of Sweetwater began in the 1920s during a time when land in Florida was very popular. A company bought land and planned a community called "Sweetwater Groves." However, a strong hurricane in 1926 and a slowdown in real estate development stopped these plans.
In 1938, a man named Clyde Andrews bought most of the "Sweetwater Groves" land. He started selling plots. Among his buyers was a group of circus performers who were small in stature. They wanted a place to retire. They built several homes that were just the right size for them. For many years, Sweetwater was known for these unique, smaller homes.
In 1941, Sweetwater officially became a town after a successful election. Joe Sanderlin, who was the guardian and manager for the circus performers, became the town's first mayor. By 1959, Sweetwater had about 500 residents. It had a town hall, a church, a grocery store, a gas station, and 183 homes. It also had a small police force and a volunteer fire department. By 1970, Sweetwater was still a small community with about 3,000 people.
During the 1970s, Sweetwater changed a lot. Florida International University was built nearby to the south. Two major expressways were built to the north and west. Also, many Hispanic families from Dade County started moving to Sweetwater. These changes caused Sweetwater's population to more than double. It grew faster than any other city in Dade County during the 1970s.
By 2010, Sweetwater's population had grown to 13,499 people. A large number of its residents, about 95.5%, were of Hispanic background. Today, the city has a full police department, four parks, an elementary school, and a county fire station. It also has many homes, shopping centers, businesses, churches, and banks. Sweetwater is also close to Miami International Mall. After a vote in December 2010, Dolphin Mall officially became part of the city.
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1950 | 230 | — | |
| 1960 | 645 | 180.4% | |
| 1970 | 3,357 | 420.5% | |
| 1980 | 8,067 | 140.3% | |
| 1990 | 13,909 | 72.4% | |
| 2000 | 14,226 | 2.3% | |
| 2010 | 13,499 | −5.1% | |
| 2020 | 19,363 | 43.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Sweetwater's Population in 2020
In 2020, Sweetwater had 19,363 people living there. There were 6,177 households and 4,522 families.
| Race | Number | Percentage |
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| White (NH) | 726 | 3.75% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 126 | 0.65% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 14 | 0.07% |
| Asian (NH) | 192 | 0.99% |
| Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 61 | 0.32% |
| Two or more races/Multiracial (NH) | 99 | 0.51% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 18,145 | 93.71% |
| Total | 19,363 | 100.00% |
Sweetwater's Population in 2010
In 2010, there were 13,499 people living in Sweetwater. There were 4,434 households and 3,536 families.
| Sweetwater Demographics | |||
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| 2010 Census | Sweetwater | Miami-Dade County | Florida |
| Total population | 13,499 | 2,496,435 | 18,801,310 |
| Population, percent change, 2000 to 2010 | –5.1% | +10.8% | +17.6% |
| Population density | 17,023.0/sq mi | 1,315.5/sq mi | 350.6/sq mi |
| White or Caucasian (including White Hispanic) | 92.4% | 73.8% | 75.0% |
| (Non-Hispanic White or Caucasian) | 3.5% | 15.4% | 57.9% |
| Black or African-American | 1.8% | 18.9% | 16.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) | 95.5% | 65.0% | 22.5% |
| Asian | 0.5% | 1.5% | 2.4% |
| Native American or Native Alaskan | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.4% |
| Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Two or more races (Multiracial) | 2.1% | 2.4% | 2.5% |
| Some Other Race | 3.0% | 3.2% | 3.6% |
In 2013, most people in Sweetwater, about 95.30%, spoke Spanish as their first language. Only 2.90% spoke English as their first language. This means that 97.10% of the people in Sweetwater spoke a language other than English as their main language.
Economy of Sweetwater
The main office of the Miami Herald newspaper is located in Sweetwater.
Education in Sweetwater
Sweetwater is part of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools system. About 13% of adults aged 25 and older in Sweetwater have a college degree.
Elementary Schools
- Sweetwater Elementary School serves students from kindergarten to 5th grade. It is located within the city.
- Carlos Finlay Elementary School also serves students in grades K-5. It is just south of the city limits.
Middle Schools
- Ruben Dario Middle School serves students from 6th to 8th grade. In 2006, it had 1,305 students.
- Eugenia B. Thomas K-8 Center serves students from kindergarten to 8th grade.
High Schools
- Miami Coral Park High School serves Sweetwater students from 9th to 12th grade. In 2006, it had 4,421 students.
- G. Holmes Braddock High School also serves Sweetwater students from 9th to 12th grade. In 2006, it had 4,662 students.
Universities and Colleges
- The main campus of Florida International University is located just south of Sweetwater. Its Engineering campus is to the east of the city.
- Keiser University is in the northern part of the city, right behind Dolphin Mall.
- URBE University also has its campus in the northern area of Sweetwater.
- Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola has its U.S. campus in the northern part of Sweetwater as well.
See also
In Spanish: Sweetwater (Florida) para niños
