Moving From Houston, Texas, to Miami, Florida

Making the move from Houston to Miami

Moving from Houston, Texas, to Miami, Florida means going from a giant city to a smaller (though still large) city, and from the Lone Star State to the Sunshine State. What a fun adventure! Although moving to a new place can be a bit intimidating, it can also be an incredibly refreshing new start. Keep reading to find out why you’ll love making that new start in the city that’s known as “The Gateway to the Americas!”

Miami’s Population

In Houston, you most likely grew quickly accustomed to the booming population of more than two million people. And you were probably a pro at all the things that came with that, including traffic and crowded sidewalks. Because of your experience, you might think Miami is as small as they come. With a population around 441,000, Miami is definitely smaller than Houston!

How to Get Around in Miami

Public transportation is pretty popular in Miami and the city is more than prepared to handle it. They have buses, commuter rails, a heavy-rail rapid transit with 23 stations, and an electrically-powered elevated people mover called Metromover (this one’s free!). With all of these options, you can take public transportation to almost any area of the city, as well as to outlying suburbs and even to a few other major cities in South Florida.

If you want to drive your vehicle, though, you’re not alone. About half of all Miamians drive their own cars to and from work. Average commute time is 25 minutes. 

For air travel, you’ll enjoy the same luxury that you did in Houston — a major airport right there in your city. Miami International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world; over 35 million airline passengers a year pass through its terminals. 

For sea voyaging, look no further than PortMiami. Serving millions of cruise customers a year, there’s a reason this port is called “The Cruise Capital of the World!” Several major cruise lines are headquartered in Miami, including Royal Caribbean International and Carnival Cruise Lines. 

Finding a Home

Overall, homes in Miami have been appreciating over the past few years. If you’re looking to buy a house, keep in mind that housing is about 32% more expensive in your new city than it was in Houston. Median home cost is just under $291,000. If you’re not ready to buy a home yet, though, don’t feel like an outsider. More than half of Miami residents are renters.   

Paying the Bills

Job growth in Miami has been positive in recent years and is expected to continue on the same trend for the next decade. Quite a few major companies, both national and international, are headquartered in and around the metro area, including some Fortune 500 companies. The main employment fields are international business, finance and commerce.  Because of the Magic City’s popularity as a tourist destination, foods, accommodation and retail are also big employers. Florida’s minimum wage is $8.25/hour, which is a dollar higher than the federal minimum. 

Cost of living in Miami is higher than the national average, mostly due to the expensive housing market.  Healthcare costs are higher than the rest of the United States, as well. Sales tax is 7.0%, and there’s no income tax (just like Texas!). 

Educating the Family

If you’re moving with school-age children, they’ll likely attend Florida’s largest public school district, Miami-Dade County Public Schools. It is, according to their website, “A truly global community,” with students speaking 56 different languages and representing 160 countries.

Higher education is in high demand in Magic City, as well. In fact, per capita, Miami is seventh highest in the nation for number of residents who are enrolled in college or university. There are over a dozen higher learning institutions in and around the city.

Sporting Events

Sports are a big deal in Miami. Probably the most well-known franchise is the local NFL team, the Miami Dolphins, although the Miami Heat draws thousands of NBA fans each season, as well. But the city also has teams in the National Hockey League (Florida Panthers) and Major League Baseball (Miami Marlins). They even have a newly-formed Major League Soccer team that is so new it doesn’t have an official name as of yet. They’re expected to play their first season in 2020. 

As soon as you get settled in Miami, pick a favorite team, grab some season tickets, and enjoy blending in with the locals!

Getting to Miami from Houston

Since it’s nearly a thousand miles between Houston and Miami, you may be concerned about finding the best way to move there. Let U-Pack® help! With moving trailers and smaller moving containers available in both cities, U-Pack can get you from Texas to your Florida home more easily than you could do it on your own.  Here’s how it works:

  • You pack up your home in Houston.
  • U-Pack transports it to Miami.
  • You unpack into your new place.

Storage at one of our service centers and loading/unloading help are also available. For information on to get your household goods moved there, get a free online quote or call 844-362-5303844-594-3077 and ask how U-Pack® can get you started!