|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Michael Henry, born and raised in Miami-Dade County, has received a competitive salary and benefits for his work as a South Broward firefighter for the past two years. However, he must live more than 100 miles away from the place he commutes to every day to save lives.
“A few years ago, I thought about buying a house in Miami, but I simply couldn’t,” says Henry. “I didn’t want to go further into debt just to say I owned a home.”
Para leer la versión en inglés de esta historia, haga clic aquí
The firefighter explains that although his job guarantees him a regular income, “less than 10% of my colleagues live in the city. Most rent or move to more distant areas. It’s frustrating because you work here, but you can’t afford to stay.”
In Miami-Dade County, the median price of a home increased by more than 80%, from $370,000 to $675,000, between summer 2019 and summer 2025, according to monthly reports from the Miami Association of Realtors.
Henry and his family ended up moving to Port St. Lucie, nearly two hours away. “We found something more affordable there and a quieter environment for our daughter. The cost of living is more reasonable, even though I now drive a longer distance.”
According to November and October data from Ziprecruiter, the median annual salaries for firefighters and police officers in Miami-Dade County are around $60,000; while for teachers, they do not reach $50,000 per year.
“It’s not that we don’t earn well, it’s that the market is out of control,” he comments.
In an optimal scenario, to buy a $675,000 house, a Miami-Dade teacher, police officer, or firefighter would need to have saved at least $60,000. They could then pay 6.5% upfront and invest the remainder, about $20,000, in closing costs. They would be left with a loan of $634,500, over 30 years with a 6.5% interest rate. That would mean a monthly payment of $4,000.
A police officer or firefighter, with an annual salary of $60,000 would be investing 80% of their monthly income to cover housing. That would leave them with $1,000 per month for all other expenses. The teacher, with a $50,000 salary, would dedicate almost all their salary, 96%, to paying for the house, with only $167 left per month to cover taxes, social security, and other expenses.
“I’m tired of moving every year,” confessed an elementary school teacher in Hialeah who requested anonymity. “I don’t have family here, I can’t buy a house, and rents are rising faster than my salary. I’m seriously considering moving to another state.”
Even “affordable” housing projects designed for these sectors, such as the workforce housing project in Miami Beach, have been criticized for not being truly affordable. A one-bedroom apartment rents for around $2,554 per month, a price still unattainable for most teachers and public employees. For teachers, this cost would mean investing more than 60% of their salary in housing, and for police officers and firefighters, 50%.
These calculations are based on gross salaries, before mandatory deductions for taxes, social security, and health plans.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) sets a limit of 30% of gross income for housing expenses. Up to that point is considered the threshold for an affordably priced home. When the cost of living somewhere exceeds 50% of gross income, the resident is considered severely burdened or financially stressed. These are levels of spending that are not sustainable for most families.
The exodus of essential workers poses long-term challenges. Many public employees must travel long distances to reach their jobs, which affects their quality of life, time with their families, and job stability.
“Miami gives you a reason to want to get up, go to school, go to work, to do more because Miami offers so much. It is my home, I met my wife here, I had my daughter here. When we decided we had to leave, it hurt a lot,” Henry explains. However, he remains clear about his vocation: “My job is to serve, no matter the economic level of the caller. But I do know that for many colleagues, housing near work has become a luxury.”
Despite this, he acknowledges, alternatives exist. “There are programs to help buy a house, but there are always restrictions. You can’t just accept the first offer because it is not viable in the long term. That forces us to look for options further away,” he says.
Experts at UBS in the Global Real Estate Bubble Index 2025 warn that South Florida is facing a structural housing crisis: wages are not growing at the same rate as prices, and the supply of affordable housing remains limited.
“Miami is my version of America, it means everything to me,” Henry says.
Meanwhile, frontline workers like Enriquez continue to serve a community they can no longer afford to live in.
This story is part of a collaboration between Miami’s Community Newspapers and the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media at Florida International University.
