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Restored 1926 Opa-locka Company Administration BuildingPhoto: Discoveropalocka26 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Town Hall · Opa-locka

How is Opa-locka run?

Opa-locka’s city government spent $35.9 million on day-to-day services in the year to September 30, 2022, about $2,293 per resident. These are Census Bureau estimates: Opa-locka didn’t report its figures, so this page shows them without comparisons.

Town website
Election Day

Today

General election in Florida.

Register or check: vote.gov ↗
Day-to-day spending, 2022
$35.9M
year to September 30, 2022 · Census estimate
Per resident, 2022
$2,293
Census estimate · not compared
Long-term debt
$6.7M
end of FY2022 · Census estimate
City staff, 2022
132
full-time · 15 part-time · March payroll $821,933 · Census estimate
Typical tax bill
$2,264
0.77% of home value · FL 0.76%

What stands out about how Opa-locka is run

Read from the city’s budget, meetings and official records.

Agendas posted online6 upcoming meetings posted, with agendas.Runs its own water & sewer34% of day-to-day spending goes to water, sewer and trash (a Census estimate).A shared school districtShares Dade County School District with 6+ other towns.
★ What stands out · Meetings

6 upcoming meetings at town hall

From Opa-locka’s own agenda portal, checked daily. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check before you go.

Recent meetings

  • Oct28
    City CommissionWednesday · 6:00 pm · City Commission Chamber, 780 Fisherman Street, 3rd FloorRegular Commission MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct20
    Planning & Zoning Appeals BoardTuesday · 6:00 pm · City Commission Chamber, 780 Fisherman Street, 3rd FloorPZAB Meeting - October 20, 2026Agenda ↗Minutes ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct14
    City CommissionWednesday · 6:00 pm · City Commission Chamber, 780 Fisherman Street, 3rd FloorRegular Commission MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct13
    Community Redevelopment AgencyTuesday · 6:00 pm · City Commission Chamber, 780 Fisherman Street, 3rd FloorOCRA Board Meeting 10/13/2026Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Sep23
    City CommissionWednesday · 6:00 pm · City Commission Chamber, 780 Fisherman Street, 3rd FloorRegular Commission MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
Go in person

Most meetings are open to the public, and many have a public comment period at the start.

Agenda portal ↗
Your share of the 2022 budget

About $2,293 per resident a year, or $6.28 a day

Day-to-day services only (a Census Bureau estimate). The biggest line: sewer & trash, at 25%.

Where the money comes from
Property taxes 25%Utility sales 22%Interest, fines & other 14%Fees & charges 11%Other taxes & licenses 9%Sales taxes 8%From the state 6%From other local governments 5%From the federal government 1%
An estimate

Opa-locka didn’t report all of its 2022 figures to the Census Bureau, so most of these numbers are the Bureau’s estimates.

Not in the receipt.Building projects $2 million; interest on debt $392,000. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $43 million.
Compared with similar places · Over the years

No comparison or trend for Opa-locka yet

Every year of Opa-locka’s figures is a Census Bureau estimate: the city reported none of its dollars for 2022. Estimates are shown above, labeled, but never ranked against places that reported or drawn as a trend.

How Town Hall compares budgets →
Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $2,264 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.77% of the home’s value, vs 0.76% across Florida.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Miami Gardens$2,818
Florida$2,730
Biscayne Gardens$2,468
Westview$2,460
Opa-locka$2,264
Hialeah$2,228
$2,264
typical bill a year
0.77%
effective rate
$295,800
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Opa-locka’s rate.

Can I afford it? →

The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Tax bills are one input to Opa-locka’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Opa-locka →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Opa-locka

Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.

See opalockafl.gov for Opa-locka’s current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Opa-locka yet.opalockafl.gov ↗
Who works for Opa-locka

One full-time city employee for every 119 residents

On the payroll in March 2022, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll (a Census estimate). Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (15,663).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022

Police45 + 10 pt
Administration & buildings28
Sewer & trash19 + 1 pt
Courts, inspections & corrections10 + 4 pt
Parks & libraries8
Water & other utilities7
Housing & development4
Other11
132
full-time
15
part-time
$821,933
payroll for March 2022
$9.9M
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$72,600
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
31
sworn police officers
Estimates.Opa-locka didn’t report its staff figures; these are the Census Bureau’s estimates, so they aren’t compared with other towns.

The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

The school district

Dade County School District

Opa-locka’s K–12 school district, shared with Aventura, Bal Harbour, Bay Harbor Islands, Biscayne Park, Coral Gables and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Opa-locka →
$13,931
per pupil · FL $13,006
335,500
students
$2.9 billion
long-term debt

Of the $13,931 per pupil, $8,844 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 62%State 20%Federal 18%

Florida districts overall: 55% local, 29% state, 15% federal.

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Elections · 2024 general election

Opa-locka’s votes are counted by county

Florida reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Opa-locka alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Miami-Dade County’s results.

President · Miami-Dade County’s results1,097,209 votes · results as certified
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican55.2%605,590 votes
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat43.8%480,355 votes

Others: 1.0% (11,264 votes).

Most votes in Miami-Dade County: Donald J Trump

Florida: Trump 56.1%, Harris 43.0%

The county’s page

100% of Opa-locka lies in Miami-Dade County. Every 2024 race in Miami-Dade County is on the county’s page.

Miami-Dade County’s 2024 results →
DemocratRepublicanLibertarianIndependent / other

Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.

Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.

Who represents Opa-locka

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Opa-locka.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Officials: opalockafl.gov ↗
  2. 2
    Florida HouseState representatives
    Ashley Gantt
  3. 3
    Florida SenateState senator
    Shev Jones
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Ron DeSantis
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
    Frederica S. Wilson
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Florida
    Rick ScottAshley Moody
Find your state legislators by address ↗

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Next door

How Opa-locka compares with the towns next door

Opa-locka’s own figures are Census estimates, so it isn’t placed among its neighbors. 2 of the 2 towns next door reported 2022 figures, from $704 to $1,208 per resident. Tap a town to see its page.

Westview: unincorporated, no town budgetBiscayne Gardens: unincorporated, no town budgetHialeah: $1,208 per resident (2022)Miami Gardens: $704 per resident (2022)WestviewBiscayne GardensHialeahMiami GardensOpa-locka
Spends the leastSpends the mostEstimate or no figures
TownDay-to-day, per resident (2022)Tax bill
Miami Gardens$704$2,818
Hialeah$1,208$2,228
Opa-lockaestimate$2,264

Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).

Reach Opa-locka’s government

The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.

The Handbook →
Official websiteopalockafl.gov ↗

Questions about Opa-locka’s government

How much does Opa-locka spend per resident?

About $2,293 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to September 30, 2022, a Census Bureau estimate (Opa-locka didn’t report its figures). With building projects and interest, the whole budget was about $43 million.

What is the property tax rate in Opa-locka?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $2,264 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.77% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.76% across Florida. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see opalockafl.gov.

Who runs Opa-locka’s government?

See opalockafl.gov for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Opa-locka yet.

How did Opa-locka vote in 2024?

Florida counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Opa-locka alone. Miami-Dade County, where 100% of Opa-locka lies, voted Trump 55.2%, Harris 43.8% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Opa-locka?

132 full-time and 15 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $821,933 (about $9.9M a year if every month were the same); Census Bureau estimates.

Who represents Opa-locka in the state legislature?

Opa-locka is split among 2 State Senate districts, so your address decides. The Florida Legislature’s lookup finds yours. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

When is the next public meeting in Opa-locka?

The next posted meeting is Community Redevelopment Agency on Tuesday, November 10, at 6:00 pm in City Commission Chamber, 780 Fisherman Street, 3rd Floor, from the city’s own agenda portal.

Ask neighbors about Opa-locka’s government

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Ask neighbors

Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll (for Opa-locka, the Bureau’s estimates); day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →