Relocation profile · Federal data
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
BEA RPP 114.2 ranks #386 of 387 scored metros for higher prices (dearer third).
- 114.2
- Cost index (US=100)
- $2,333
- 2BR rent / mo
- $68,325
- Median salary
- 32.8
- LiveAbility Score
The verdict
As of June 2026, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach ranks #361 of 387 US metros on the LiveAbility Score (32.8/100), with its strongest marks in safety and job market.
- #361
- of 387 US metros · Well below median
- 23,372,215
- metro-area population
- 210
- violent crimes per 100K (state-level)
- 4,029
- schools in the state (NCES)
Weakest dimension: cost of living (0/100). Weigh every dimension against your own priorities, use the City Finder to re-rank by what matters to you.
According to PlainRelocate's LiveAbility composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, EPA, NOAA, and FEMA inputs), Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach ranks #361 of 387 scored US metros by LiveAbility Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 114.2 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $2,333/mo, median salary $68,325; LiveAbility Score 32.8/100, strongest in safety and job market.
Signature: BEA RPP 114.2 ranks #386 of 387 scored metros for higher prices (dearer third).
Purchasing power tightens: BEA RPP 114.2 lands in the dearer third of scored metros (cuts at 91.5 / 97.0). Median 2BR rent $2,333/mo.
LiveAbility 32.8/100 puts Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach in the bottom third (#361 of 387).
BLS OEWS total employment in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach area is 2,720,630.
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach vs all US metros by LiveAbility Score
Where this metro's LiveAbility Score falls among every scored US metro (composite placement, not a desirability verdict)
33 Top 93% higher than 7% of 387 US metros
Metros banded by LiveAbility Score (0–100)
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source PlainRelocate LiveAbility Score · June 2026
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach housing and rent
HUD Fair Market Rents for the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach MSA; housing RPP 155.6 (100 = national average); 2BR $2,333/mo.
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach wages and employment
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach posts 2,720,630 total employment with median salary $68,325 against a dearer-than-average RPP.
Top Occupations by Employment
| Occupation | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | $34,330 |
| General and Operations Managers | $105,640 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $39,560 |
| Registered Nurses | $91,380 |
| Office Clerks, General | $44,730 |
Schools & Education
State-level education data for the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach area from NCES.
Childcare Costs
State-average childcare costs for the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach area (DOL data).
Life Score Breakdown
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach's composite Life Score is 44.2/100 (F), computed across 7 of 7 dimensions.
LiveAbility Score
View full rankings →Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach ranks #361 out of 387 metros with a LiveAbility Score of 32.8/100 - a composite of 8 of 8 quality-of-life dimensions from federal data. Customize the weights to match your priorities →
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach - dimension scores
Percentile vs all US metros (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)
- Safety
Safety
86 /100
- Job market
Job market
65 /100
- Low hazard
Low hazard
58 /100
- Climate 33
Climate
33 /100
- Air quality 18
Air quality
18 /100
- Schools 16
Schools
16 /100
- Housing 4
Housing
4 /100
- Cost of living 0
Cost of living
0 /100
What this shows Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach's strongest dimensions are safety and job market; its weakest among scored dims is cost of living at 0/100. Default weights: cost 18%, jobs & housing 15% each, safety & schools 12%, air & hazard 10%, climate 8%.
Compare Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach to
Metros near Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach on cost, LiveAbility, or wages
Nearest out-of-state neighbors to Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach on BEA RPP, LiveAbility, or BLS median salary, a different lens than the size-ranked list.
Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach wages and LiveAbility inputs follow BLS OEWS plus the federal sources listed in methodology. This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Scores are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation. How this data is sourced.
Verify with BEA → · Verify with BLS → · Verify with HUD → · Verify with NOAA → · Verify with FEMA → · Verify with Census →
Thinking about Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach runs a $68,325 median salary at a 114.2 cost index, ranking #361 of 387 nationally on LiveAbility.
- See exactly what Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach's pay and cost figures mean for your own budget. Salary calculator
- Put Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach head-to-head against another city on the same dimensions. Compare Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach
- Abilene is the closest related metro in this corpus -- see how it stacks up. Abilene profile
- A cheaper cost index and a higher LiveAbility score don't always point the same direction -- here's how to weigh the trade-off. Cost vs quality guide
Cost, salary and score figures are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation.