Miami-Dade is a region of contrasts. Ask people outside of the area, and there’s a perception of encompassing wealth, even against a reality that shows high poverty rates and crime. The City of Miami is the fifth poorest in the nation. At the same time, the area has a generally healthy economy, fed primarily by tourism and the services industry. The population of Miami-Dade is multicultural and polyglot, with more than two thirds of its 2.4 million residents speaking a language other than English at home.

Miami’s economy is affected by the same pressures driving the national economy, including declining property values, tighter access to credit (for consumers and small business), higher prices for food and fuel, and a decline in consumer confidence. Services remain the key to the economy, which is driven by strong gains in population and healthy consumer spending (partially from tourism) that it is hoped will propel total employment growth in South Florida ahead of the national average.