Hialeah, Florida
Hialeah, Florida boasts a thriving multi-cultural community that embodies the spirit of diversity of the southern United States. Hialeah takes its name from a Seminole Indian word meaning “High Prairie”. Located on a large prairie midway between Biscayne Bay and theEverglades, Hialeah is part of Miami-Dade County.
Census 2000 data reported Hialeah’s population as 226,419, which ranked it the fifth largest city in Florida.Hialeah forms a portion of the Greater South Florida metropolitan area and the massive Miami metropolitan area. Hialeah, FL holds the top rank on the list of U.S. cities where Spanish-speaking residents dominate the population. More than ninety percent of the local population report using Spanish as their primary language. In addition, nearly sixty-two percent of the population in Hialeah reports Cuba as their ancestral home.
Situated at the heart of northwestern Miami-Dade County, Hialeah, FL businesses have the advantage of easy access to several major thoroughfares. These include I-75, I-95, the Florida Turnpike, the Palmetto Expressway and the Sawgrass Expressway. Additional transportation to major business markets includes the Port of Miami, Miami International Airport and the Opa-Locka International Airport. Rail stations such as Amtrak, Metro-Rail and Tri-Rail also service Hialeah residents.
Hialeah, Florida has a healthy economy. The top industries providing employment opportunities in Hialeah are manufacturing, retail trade and educational, health and social services. The City of Hialeah, FL is among Miami-Dade County’s largest employers. Thirty percent of the workforce live and work in Hialeah, while the remaining seventy percent travel into the city of Miami and other surrounding urban areas for employment. Those who commute have a mean travel time to work of twenty-eight minutes.
Hialeah’s public school system operates eighteen elementary, four middle and two high school campuses. In addition, various private schools exist within the community. Facilities for higher learning in the immediate area include Florida National College, Miami-Dade Community College and the University of Florida Dental School.
Incorporating strong cultural heritage and generations-old traditions, Hialeah, Florida residents enjoy a diverse community that focuses on the family. Nearly one hundred acres of parkland sprawl through local neighborhoods affording opportunities for swimming, tennis and other outdoor play. In addition, Milander Park has a 10,000-seat football stadium and a municipal auditorium for local use. Hialeah Park Racetrack, one of FL’s oldest existing recreational facilities, hosted everything from amusement park rides, to jai alai and horse racing over the years. The Park, renowned for its lovely flocks of flamingos, is officially designated an American Flamingo sanctuary by the National Audubon Society. Visitors also enjoy a wide range of entertainment, dining and shopping opportunities, with easy access to the amenities in large urban areas found nearby.
Hialeah, Florida, home to famous residents such as Catherine Keener and Harry Wayne Casey, boasts a diverse cultural population. Hialeah, FL projects a fine mix of cultural and recreational facilities, along with a strong sense of family and community that reflects the American South at its finest.