Short answer: In the 33131 ZIP area that takes in Brickell's bayfront towers, 96.1 percent of 18,783 homes are in buildings of 20 or more units, owners occupy 37.0 percent of occupied homes, and 3,501 units sit empty as seasonal homes (ACS 2020-2024). Nearly half the units date from 2000 to 2009, so Miami-Dade County's 25 year recertification rule reaches many towers from 2025 to 2034. The free Metromover serves Brickell from Financial District Station, and bayfront buildings must keep a public Baywalk.
Last verified: October 15, 2026, against the sources listed at the end of this page.
What kind of housing is in Brickell?
Brickell housing is almost all high-rise: in the Census Bureau's 33131 ZIP area, which takes in the Brickell Key Bridge, 96.1 percent of the 18,783 homes sit in buildings of 20 or more units.
Brickell is part of the City of Miami, which keeps a Downtown and Brickell neighborhood association list (City of Miami). The Miami Downtown Development Authority (Miami DDA) holds its Brickell block walk at the Brickell Key Bridge, 8 Street and Bay Walk, in ZIP 33131 (Miami DDA). That ZIP area is the closest Census geography to the district, so this guide uses it for Brickell's numbers. The American Community Survey counts 18,783 housing units in ZCTA 33131 for 2020 to 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024), and 96.1 percent of them are in structures with 20 or more units (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024). Across the whole City of Miami, the same survey puts 48.8 percent of the 223,826 housing units in buildings of 20 or more units (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024), so Brickell's tower share is about double the city figure and the district reads as a condo market rather than a house market.
The district is part of a larger downtown that the Miami DDA tracks. Its data page says more than 101,000 people now live in Downtown Miami, up nearly 68 percent from 41,000 in 2012, and says Greater Downtown Miami has more than 200 residential buildings and more than 30 construction projects (Miami DDA). The same page reports a median downtown household income of $119,000 from the DDA's 2025 Demographics Report (Miami DDA). Those DDA figures describe downtown as a whole, not Brickell alone.
How many Brickell condos are lived in year round?
About seven in ten Brickell homes were occupied in the 2020 to 2024 survey, and most of the empty ones in the 33131 ZIP area were second homes held for seasonal or occasional use.
Of the 18,783 housing units in ZCTA 33131, the Census Bureau counts 13,161 as occupied and 29.9 percent as vacant (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024). Its vacancy status table shows why: 3,501 of the 5,622 vacant units are held for seasonal, recreational or occasional use (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024). Seasonal units outnumber all other vacant units in 33131 combined.
| Measure | ZCTA 33131 |
|---|---|
| Housing units | 18,783 |
| Occupied units | 13,161 |
| Vacant share | 29.9 percent |
| Vacant units held for seasonal, recreational or occasional use | 3,501 of 5,622 |
| Units in buildings of 20 or more units | 96.1 percent |
| Owner occupied share of occupied homes | 37.0 percent |
| Median value, owner-occupied units | $655,100 |
| Median gross rent | $3,124 |
Most Brickell residents rent. Owners occupy 37.0 percent of the occupied homes in 33131, so renters hold the other 63.0 percent (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024). The median value of owner-occupied units in 33131 is $655,100 and the median gross rent is $3,124 a month in the 2020 to 2024 estimates (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024). These are survey medians over five years, not sale prices, and they lag the market. The gap with the rest of the city is wide: the citywide median gross rent in the same City of Miami survey is $1,758 and the citywide vacancy share is 13.0 percent (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024), less than half the Brickell figure.
How old are Brickell towers, and when do they need recertification?
Nearly half of Brickell's homes in the 33131 ZIP area were built from 2000 to 2009, so Miami-Dade County's 25 year rule for coastal condo buildings brings many of them up for recertification between 2025 and 2034.
The Census Bureau's year built figures for ZCTA 33131 show 46.1 percent of units built from 2000 to 2009, 27.1 percent from 2010 to 2019 and 1.1 percent in 2020 or later (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024). Under the Miami-Dade County recertification schedule, condominium and cooperative buildings three stories or taller within three miles of the coastline and built on or after 1998 must be recertified when the building reaches 25 years, then every 10 years (Miami-Dade County). A Brickell condo tower finished in 2005 therefore reaches its first recertification in 2030.
| Built | Share of units | First 25 year recertification for a coastal condo built then |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 to 2009 | 46.1 percent | 2025 to 2034 |
| 2010 to 2019 | 27.1 percent | 2035 to 2044 |
| 2020 or later | 1.1 percent | 2045 or later |
Brickell is inside the City of Miami, which recertifies structures as per the Miami-Dade County Code (City of Miami); the county notes that each of its 35 municipalities has its own building official for recertifications (Miami-Dade County). The city's recertification desk takes questions at (305) 416-1177 or [email protected] and sits on the 4th floor of the Miami Riverside Center, 444 SW 2nd Ave (City of Miami). A buyer looking at a 2000s Brickell tower can ask the association where the building stands on that clock before signing.
What waterfront rules shape Brickell condo towers?
Brickell's bayfront towers sit behind a public walkway because the City of Miami's 1979 Dan Paul ordinance requires new buildings on Biscayne Bay or the Miami River to set back 50 feet and keep a 25-foot public promenade.
The Miami DDA describes the Dan Paul ordinance as requiring new buildings to be set back 50 feet from the water's edge and owners to build and maintain a 25-foot public pedestrian promenade along Biscayne Bay or the Miami River (Miami DDA). After more than 40 years of incremental development, the 5-mile Downtown Baywalk is 89 percent complete and the 10-mile Miami Riverwalk and on-road greenway are 68 percent complete (Miami DDA). In front of buildings covered by the ordinance, that promenade is public space.
One gap closed in 2023. A 200-foot section of new Baywalk opened at First Miami Presbyterian Church, 609 Brickell Ave, on June 22, 2023, linking Icon Brickell to 701 Brickell Ave (Miami DDA). The Miami DDA also studied raising downtown seawalls and adding living shorelines with Impact Infrastructure, the City of Miami and The Nature Conservancy, and reports that investments in that grey and green infrastructure can provide a $5.20 to $6.10 return for every $1 invested (Miami DDA). That study's final report is dated December 3, 2018, so its figures predate the 2020 to 2024 Census survey of Brickell housing used above.
How do Brickell residents get around without a car?
Brickell is served by the free Metromover, which runs from the Financial District Station in Brickell to the Omni area from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.
Miami-Dade County's Metromover is a free elevated people mover serving 21 stations from the Financial District Station in Brickell to the School Board Station in the Omni area, split into the Omni Loop, Inner Loop and Brickell Loop (Miami-Dade County). Cars arrive every 90 seconds at rush hours and every 3 minutes off peak (Miami-Dade County). The Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works is upgrading the system, and on October 15, 2026 the county page still carried a notice, with no year given, that the Omni and Brickell loops would open at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26, with Financial District Station closed Sept. 26 and 27 (Miami-Dade County). Weekend closures like that one are worth checking on the county page before relying on the Brickell Loop.
The county lists major Metromover destinations as the Kaseya Center, home of the Miami HEAT, Bayside Marketplace, Miami Dade College and the Miami-Dade County School Board (Miami-Dade County). All Metrorail stations and Metrobus Park and Ride lots have bicycle racks (Miami-Dade County). The Miami DDA counts 155,000 jobs in Downtown Miami and a 25 percent job increase from 2012 to 2023 (Miami DDA).
Where can a Brickell buyer check flood risk and reach the downtown authority?
The Miami-Dade County Flood Zone Hotline, 305-372-6466, answers flood questions for a Brickell address, and the Miami DDA, (305) 579-6675, runs the Brickell block walk.
Beyond a basic flood zone, the Miami-Dade County hotline can give the location of coastal high hazard areas, flood depths at a property and historical flood maps (Miami-Dade County). The county also says an elevation certificate is required for all new construction and for projects that make substantial improvements to a structure (Miami-Dade County).
The Miami DDA office is at 201 S Biscayne Blvd #2600, and its next Brickell block walk is Monday, October 19, 2026, from 4 to 6 p.m., starting at the Brickell Key Bridge (Miami DDA), (Miami DDA). Latecomers call 305-579-6675 to find the group (Miami DDA).
Other guides in the Miami real estate section go further: the Miami luxury condos 2026 guide explains the inspection, reserve, deed tax and homestead rules that apply to any Miami condo purchase, and the Miami neighborhoods guide shows how the City of Miami organizes Downtown and Brickell among its other neighborhoods.
Last verified: October 15, 2026, on the Miami DDA, Miami-Dade County, City of Miami and U.S. Census Bureau websites.
Frequently asked questions
How many homes are in Brickell?
The U.S. Census Bureau counts 18,783 housing units in the 33131 ZIP area, which takes in the Brickell Key Bridge, in its 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey. Of those, 96.1 percent are in buildings with 20 or more units.
Are most Brickell condos owner occupied?
No. In the 33131 ZIP area, owners occupy 37.0 percent of occupied homes and renters 63.0 percent, according to the 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey. Another 3,501 units are vacant because they are held for seasonal or occasional use.
When do Brickell condo towers need recertification?
Under the Miami-Dade County schedule, a condo building three stories or taller within three miles of the coast and built in 1998 or later is recertified at 25 years and every 10 years after. Many Brickell towers from 2000 to 2009 come due between 2025 and 2034.
Is the Metromover free in Brickell?
Yes. Miami-Dade County runs the Metromover free of charge, serving Brickell from the Financial District Station. It operates from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week, with cars every 90 seconds at rush hours.
Why do Brickell towers have a public walkway on the bay?
The City of Miami Dan Paul ordinance of 1979 requires new buildings to be set back 50 feet from Biscayne Bay or the Miami River and to build and maintain a 25-foot public promenade, the Baywalk and Riverwalk, according to the Miami DDA.
Sources
- Miami DDA, Downtown Details, Data and Demographics https://www.miamidda.com/Business-Development/Data-Research/Downtown-Details-Data-and-Demographics Used for: more than 101,000 Greater Downtown residents, 200+ residential buildings, 30+ construction projects, $119,000 median household income, 2025 Demographics Report
- Miami DDA, Block Walk (Brickell) https://www.miamidda.com/Events-directory/Block-Walk Used for: October 19, 2026 Brickell block walk at the Brickell Key Bridge, 8 Street and Bay Walk, 33131, DDA phone
- Miami DDA, Baywalk and Riverwalk Completion https://www.miamidda.com/Urban-Planning/Planning/Baywalk-Riverwalk-Completion Used for: 1979 Dan Paul ordinance 50 foot setback and 25 foot promenade, Baywalk 89% complete, 609 Brickell Ave section opened June 22, 2023
- Miami DDA, Bolstering our Seawalls https://www.miamidda.com/Urban-Planning/Resilience/Bolstering-our-Seawalls Used for: 2018 seawall and living shoreline study, $5.20 to $6.10 return per $1
- Miami-Dade County, Metromover https://www.miamidade.gov/global/transportation/metromover.page Used for: free service, 21 stations from Financial District Station in Brickell, Brickell Loop, hours and frequency, September 26 to 27 closure notice
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP04, ZCTA5 33131 https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP04&g=860XX00US33131 Used for: housing units, occupancy, units in structure, year built, tenure, median value and gross rent for the 33131 ZIP area
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year B25004 Vacancy Status, ZCTA5 33131 https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDT5Y2024.B25004&g=860XX00US33131 Used for: vacant units held for seasonal, recreational or occasional use
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year DP04, Miami city https://data.census.gov/api/access/data/table?id=ACSDP5Y2024.DP04&g=160XX00US1245000 Used for: citywide comparison: 223,826 housing units, 48.8 percent in buildings of 20 or more units, 13.0 percent vacant, median gross rent $1,758
- Miami-Dade County Building Recertification https://www.miamidade.gov/global/economy/building/recertification.page Used for: 25 year recertification for coastal condo buildings built on or after 1998
- City of Miami, Get a Building Recertification https://www.miami.gov/Permits-Construction/Unsafe-Structures/Get-a-Building-Recertification Used for: City of Miami recertification email and office at Miami Riverside Center
- Miami-Dade County, Flood Zone Maps https://www.miamidade.gov/global/economy/building/flood-protection/flood-zone-maps.page Used for: coastal high hazard information from the Flood Zone Hotline, elevation certificates, 2009 maps
- City of Miami, Homeowners Associations (HOA) https://www.miami.gov/My-Home-Neighborhood/Homeowners-Associations-HOA Used for: City of Miami keeps a Downtown / Brickell neighborhood association list
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