Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The city is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida and is located southwest of downtown Miami. As of the 2020 U.S. census, it had a population of 49,248.
The city is a Mediterranean-themed planned community known for its historic and affluent character reinforced by its strict zoning, popular landmarks, and tourist sights.
The University of Miami is located in Coral Gables. With 16,479 faculty and staff as of 2021, the university is the largest employer in Coral Gables and the second-largest employer in all of Miami-Dade County.
History
Coral Gables was formally incorporated as a city on April 29, 1925. It is a planned community based on the popular early 20th-century City Beautiful Movement and is known for its strict zoning regulations. The city was developed by George Merrick, a real estate developer from Pennsylvania, during the Florida land boom of the 1920s. Merrick named the development after his family's home, a plantation built in the early 1900s. The main building of their estate had been named Coral Gables because it was built with Miami Limestone (commonly called "coral rock") and coral-colored Ludowici tile. Much of the early construction in Coral Gables was carried out by Bahamian immigrant laborers, many of whom were skilled stonemasons experienced in working with the local coral rock used in many of the city’s early buildings and infrastructure.
The city's architecture is almost entirely Mediterranean Revival style, mandated in the original plan, with an emphasis on Spanish influence in particular, such as the Coral Gables Congregational Church, donated by Merrick. The domed Catholic Church of the Little Flower was built later, in a similar Spanish Renaissance style.
Early in the city's planning and development, Merrick shared his vision for Coral Gables as "a most extraordinary opportunity for the building of 'Castles in Spain'," according to Coral Gables historian Arva Moore Parks. Merrick's success in executing this vision for the city would catch the attention of Spain's king, Alfonso XIII, who awarded Merrick the Order of Isabella the Catholic for his support of Spanish culture in Coral Gables.
By 1926, the city covered and had netted $150 million in sales, with over $100 million spent on development. That year also had the opening of the Biltmore Hotel and Golf Course, a major landmark in city.
Merrick meticulously designed the city with distinct zones. For example, he designed the downtown commercial district to be only four blocks wide and more than long. The main artery, now known as Miracle Mile, bisected the business district. The city used to have an electric trolley system, which was ended as a result of the growing use of automobiles, but now a new free circulator trolley system, initiated in November 2003, runs down Ponce de León Boulevard. Another distinctive and character-defining feature of the city planned by Merrick are the themed Coral Gables Villages that date to the 1920s and were designed to expand the city's architecture beyond Spanish influence to include Italian, French, and Dutch South African, among others.
In 1925, roughly simultaneous to the founding of Coral Gables, the University of Miami was constructed on of land just west of U.S. Route 1, about 2 miles south of downtown Coral Gables. By the fall of 1926, the first class of 372 students enrolled at the university.
During World War II, many Navy pilots and mechanics were trained and housed in Coral Gables.
Coral Gables has traditionally placed high priority on historic preservation. The city passed its first preservation ordinance in 1973, as many of its founding structures from the 1920s began to reach their 50th anniversaries. Further ordinances were enacted in the 1980s establishing the Historic Preservation Board and in the 1990s establishing the Historic Preservation Department, now called the Historical Resources and Cultural Arts Department.
As part of the city's historic preservation program, the Historical Resources Department is tasked with researching and identifying significant properties and local landmarks for listing in the Coral Gables Registry of Historic Places, as well as on national historic registers. The department also reviews modifications to locally designated landmarks and initiates grant proposals. The Historic Preservation Board is a quasijudicial body that votes on local landmark designations and other issues pertaining to the historic character of the city.
Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which (64.64%) are covered by water.
Climate
Coral Gables has a tropical climate, similar to that found in much of the Caribbean. It is part of the only region in the 48 contiguous states that falls under that category. More specifically, it generally has a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen climate classification Am).
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition Historical demographics20202010200019901980White (non-Hispanic)30.6%40.1%47.7%53.2%65.1%Hispanic or Latino58.8%53.6%46.6%41.8%29.6%Black or African American (non-Hispanic)4.8%2.5%3.1%3.1%4.0%Asian and Pacific Islander (non-Hispanic)2.6%2.7%1.7%1.7%1.3%Native American (non-Hispanic)< 0.1%< 0.1%0.1%0.1%Some other race (non-Hispanic)0.7%0.2%0.2%0.1%Two or more races (non-Hispanic)2.5%0.9%0.7%N/AN/APopulation49,24846,78042,24940,09143,241
Demographics Demographic characteristics20202010200019901980Households21,86820,26617,84915,46016,429Persons per household2.252.312.372.592.6387.689.787.690.088.0Ages 0–1716.6%17.9%17.4%15.5%17.2%Ages 18–6463.3%66.5%66.8%67.1%66.0%Ages 65 +20.1%15.6%15.8%17.4%16.8%Median age41.938.838.137.036.1Population49,24846,78042,24940,09143,241 Economic indicators2017–21 American Community SurveyCoral GablesMiami-Dade CountyFlorida$63,061$32,513$34,367$113,623$57,815$61,777Poverty Rate7.5%15.7%13.1%97.2%82.5%89.0%71.5%31.7%31.5%37.8%11.9%11.7%
Language Language spoken at home20152010200019901980English40.0%39.4%43.1%51.8%63.4%Spanish or Spanish Creole53.5%54.7%50.2%42.8%30.3%Other Languages6.5%5.9%6.7%5.4%6.3%
Nativity Nativity20152010200019901980% population native-born61.5%62.3%62.1%64.4%69.9%... born in the United States57.5%58.3%58.8%61.2%67.9%... born in Puerto Rico or Island Areas2.0%2.0%1.8%1.6%2.0%... born to American parents abroad2.0%2.0%1.5%1.7%% population foreign-born38.5%37.7%37.9%35.6%30.1%... born in Cuba15.0%16.4%19.2%20.3%15.1%... born in other countries23.5%21.3%18.7%15.3%15.0%
2020 census As of the 2020 census, Coral Gables had a population of 49,248. The median age was 41.9 years; 16.6% of residents were under 18 and 20.1% were 65 or older. For every 100 females, there were 87.6 males, and for every 100 females 18 and over, there were 85.0 males 18 and over.
All of the residents lived in urban areas, while none lived in rural areas.
Of the 19,074 households in Coral Gables, 26.0% had children under 18 living in them, 48.8% were married-couple households, 16.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 29.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 or older.
The city had 21,868 housing units, of which 12.8% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 14.0%.
+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 21,154 43.0% Black or African American 2,462 5.0% American Indian and Alaska Native 71 0.1% Asian 1,275 2.6% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander 45 0.1% Some other race 4,093 8.3% Two or more races 20,148 40.9% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 28,949 58.8%
2010 census According to the 2010 United States census, 46,780 people, 16,453 households, and 10,377 families were residing in the city. In 2010, 11.4% of households were vacant.
2000 census In 2000, 24.45% had children under 18 living with them, 61.11% were family households, 17.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.89% were not families. The average household size was 2.36, and the average household had 1.68 vehicles.
2022 estimate In 2022, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that the median household income in the city was $118,203; the estimated per capita income was $74,780. Some 9.5% of the citizens were thought to be living below the poverty line. Economy
Major economic contributors to Coral Gables include:
The University of Miami is the largest employer in Coral Gables since the city's founding, with over 20,000 faculty and staff employees as of 2024. Baptist Hospital of Miami is the second-largest employer in Coral Gables. Bacardi has its United States headquarters with 300 employees at 2701 Le Jeune Road."Bacardi U.S.A. Marks Opening of State-of-the Art South Florida Headquarters." Retrieved June 19, 2011. Intelsat has its Latin American headquarters in Suite 1100 at One Alhambra Plaza."Corporate web site." Retrieved on October 18, 2010. Fresh Del Monte Produce is headquartered in Coral Gables.Walker, Elaine. "Machines to sell food that's good for you." Miami Herald. September 26, 2009. Retrieved on October 2, 2009. ExxonMobil has a marine-fuels operation in Suite 900 at One Alhambra Plaza in Coral Gables"Contact us marine." ExxonMobil. Retrieved on January 26, 2009. MasTec, Inc., the second-largest Hispanic-owned company in the nation, is located at 800 South Douglas Road."MasTec website – about us." MasTec. Retrieved on September 5, 2012. Odebrecht has over 300 employees at its location at 201 Alhambra Circle. American Airlines maintains the Ponce de Leon Travel Center at 901 Ponce De Leon Boulevard."Miami And Coral Gables, Florida Travel Center ." American Airlines. Retrieved on April 9, 2009. Dolphin Entertainment is an independent film studio in Coral Gables. FIFA maintains its North American headquarters in Coral Gables in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will include Miami.
Tourism
Located 4 miles from Miami International Airport, Coral Gables has around 140 dining establishments and gourmet shops and many notable international retailers. Among Coral Gables landmarks are the Venetian Pool, Douglas Entrance, and Miami Biltmore hotel.
Arts and culture Places of interest
Coral Gables Villages Coral Way Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Miami Biltmore Hotel Miracle Mile Riviera Schools Shops at Merrick Park University of Miami Venetian Pool
Festivals and events Festival of Art, University of Miami, held in January Carnival on the Mile, Miracle Mile, held in February/March Junior Orange Bowl Festival, held in December–January
Public libraries
Miami-Dade Public Library System operates the Coral Gables Branch Library in Coral Gables."Coral Gables ." Miami-Dade Public Library System. Retrieved on September 28, 2009.
Education
University of Miami
The University of Miami, a private university ranked in the top tier of national universities, with particular national status in the fields of business, engineering, law, marine science, medicine, communications, and music, is located in Coral Gables.
Primary and secondary schools Public schools