Community Background Report

Leisure City

County

Miami-Dade

Boundaries

North: S.W. 280th Street
South: S.W. 296th Street
West: S.W. 152 Avenue
East: East side of US 1

Community Type

Neighborhood

History

The community of Leisure City was named originally by developers, in hoping to attract retired people seeking a similar lifestyle in the 1920s. Leisure City, was platted as 2,300 acres of pine-dotted farm land. A small area, populated of single-family homes, it is wedged between the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike and South Dixie Highway (Wikipedia: Leisure City). Leisure City's expansion to 6,000 homes were popular with armed service retirees, particularly those from the then active Homestead Air Force Base, just to the east. Leisure City has a long history of community continuity, preserving the community identity through decades of careful planning.

For nine years, community leaders lobbied the County for a public park (Wikipedia: Leisure City). In 1964, Leisure City Park opened with a horseshoe pit and a clubhouse with kilns for ceramics. In 1992, Leisure City was hit by Hurricane Andrew causing substantial damage to the park and widespread structural damage to homes and businesses. The Hurricane’s devastation depressed the region to some degree for the following 5 following years (Peacock, Morrow & Gladwin, 1997). Like all of South Miami-Dade, it was also economically hurt by the closing of the Homestead Air Force Base. Retirees took their insurance settlements and left for Miami or cities further north where the standards of living were higher. Though many decided to leave, others stayed, “rebuilding Leisure City [which] has become a pleasant home for many agricultural workers who maintain a 50-year tradition of turning their backs on the larger metropolitan cities” (Herald Staff, 1998).

Community Dynamics

In 2017, Leisure City had a population of approximately 27,400 people, with a median age of 32.9 and a median household income of $32,770. Between 2016 and 2017, the population of Leisure City grew from 26,861 to 27,389, a 1.97% increase, and its median household income declined from $33,747 to $32,770, a 2.9% decrease.

The population of Leisure City is 81.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.1% Black or African American Alone, and 3.19% White Alone. The median property value in Leisure City is $120,300, and the homeownership rate is 49.4%.

The median household income in Leisure City is $32,770. Males in Leisure City have an average income that is 34% higher than the average income of females, at $44,078. The income inequality in Leisure City (measured using the Gini index) is 0.473, which is lower than the national average. The median property value in Leisure City was $120,300 in 2017, which was 55.3% lower than the national average of $217,600.

Business Landscape

The economy of Leisure City employs 10,800 people. The largest industries in Leisure City are Construction (1,491 people), Retail Trade (1,391 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (1,261 people), and the highest paying industries are Public Administration ($41,429), Utilities ($40,208), and Finance & Insurance ($35,094).

In 2016, the Leisure City institution with the largest number of graduating students was South Dade Technical College-South Dade Skills Center Campus, with 29 degrees awarded.

Transportation

Average employees in Leisure City have a longer commute time (33.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.1 minutes). Additionally, 4.64% of the workforce in Leisure City has "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes. The major highways that border Leisure City are US 1 and Florida’s Turnpike, and major roads include SW 280th Street, Biscayne Drive, SW 296th Street and SW 152nd Avenue. Bus #35 serves Leisure City. Schools include the Leisure City K-8 Center and the Irving & Beatrice Peskoe Elementary School.