More historic than 3% of U.S. towns · #579 of 638 in Florida. What drives it
Most of West Miami was built recently: 0.8% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1967. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1950 on, and the census since 1950.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, West Miami is more historic than 3% of U.S. towns, #579 of 638 in Florida. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
D−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of West Miami’s overall grade.
Few Florida towns list much on the Register (a typical Florida town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so West Miami’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (33% of Florida towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D− to D. The pre-1940 share (±0.9 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1947.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about West Miami’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The city of West Miami, which is less than three-quarters of a square mile in area, is nestled between Tamiami Trail and Coral Way. Among early suggested names for the city were West Haven and West Gate.
Incorporated as a town with 700 residents, West Miami had 7,233 residents as of the 2020 census. 88.54% of the population was Hispanic or Latino. West Miami is surrounded by its larger neighbors, Coral Gables and Miami.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1947, according to Wikidata. the census of 1950 counted 4,043 people here.
How does West Miami rank for history?
West Miami is more historic than 3% of U.S. towns, #579 of 638 in Florida. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
How old are the homes in West Miami?
0.8% of West Miami’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 0.6% for a Florida town; the median home was built in 1967.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
