The Greatest Miamis in the World, Ranked

Miami, Florida, is a unique destination. There's nowhere else like it. But the name "Miami" is much more common than you might think.

Though Miami isn't quite as prevalent as Franklin in America (31 cities) or San Jose worldwide (334), we’re not alone.

According to reference.com, 11 U.S. states are home to a city named Miami. There are also Miamis abroad. And then there are places that bear names strikingly similar to Miami — Meyami County in the Semnan Province of Iran, for example, and Mwami in Zimbabwe.

So which Miami is the best? Drawing on New Times' expertise in quintessential Miami qualities, we ranked the top ten.

There is a Miami County in Ohio. There is also a Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

10. New Miami, Ohio. “New" Miami, huh? We can appreciate the very Miami belief that younger is better, but this town's greatest attribute appears to be that it often gets confused for South Florida's Miami. It's about 15 miles from Oxford, Ohio, which is home to Miami University. If you follow sports, you know that the only notable university with "Miami" in its name (the one in Coral Gables) gets confused with Miami of Ohio in most instances. The remedy for this nonsense: Change your name. Thanks.

9. Miami, California. A Miami in California? That sounds sexy, full of palm trees and a glistening ocean. The reality isn't as appealing. This is a central California ghost town whose claim to fame seems to be that it once had a post office in the late 1800s. What a tease.

The Old Fort in Miami, Missouri.

Americasroof/Wikimedia Commons

8. Miami, Missouri. This one scores points for alliteration. Miami, Missouri, has such a nice flow to it. Apparently, 200-some people live there, along with an archaeological site called Old Fort that was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Hey, an Old Fort is better than an old fart any day, right? (But Miami, Missouri, probably has those too.)

7. Miami River, New York. Located about 90 miles north of Albany, New York's Miami River runs about 14 miles and is part of the Hudson River watershed. This stretch of the Hudson River is allegedly not quite as gross as the part near New York City, earning it a solid seventh spot on our list.

There is a Miami in Texas, and this café sign points out exactly where the town is.

Wikimedia Commons / Mobilus in Mobili

6. Miami, Texas. There’s a Paris in Texas. There’s a London too. So why not a Miami? This Miami sits in a relatively boring part of the state, the panhandle, about 80 miles from Amarillo. It's home to just 600 people. But it also has a bed-and-breakfast called Cowboys and Roses that looks downright adorable. That counts for something.

5. Miami, Oklahoma. Do the Miamis of Texas and Oklahoma have as much of a rivalry as the states themselves? If you're one of the several thousand residents of these towns, let us know! Anyway, this Miami is home to nearly 14,000 Oklahomans and is the capital of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma. There is also a lovely theater in northeast Oklahoma city — the Coleman Theatre, which was built in 1929 and still hosts events galore.

Canada has a Miami, and this is its railway station.

Wikimedia Commons / Loozrboy

4. Miami, Manitoba, Canada. There’s a Miami in Canada, eh? This Miami has something Florida doesn’t — a curling rink. Sure, there are a few curling clubs in Florida, but not a rink where people get their curl on all the time. Sorry, South Floridians, you'll just have to suck on that while you're soaking up the sun or swimming in turquoise waters or partying in world-class nightclubs.

3. Miami, Arizona. This Miami is a copper heaven. No, not a copper-theft heaven, which you'd be more likely to encounter in its South Florida namesake. They mine the stuff in Miami, Arizona, and have done so since the early 1900s. Though this Miami boasts a population of fewer than 2,000, it does have a sports museum, 1920s-era Mobil gas station, and a bunch of antique shops. Road trip?

2. Miami, Queensland, Australia. A Miami on a beach? Now we’re talking. The Down Under has its own Miami where approximately 7,000 people reside. The beach gets pretty decent reviews, and there are neighboring towns called Mermaid Beach and Surfers Paradise.

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Photo by Alyssa Black / Flickr

1. Miami, Florida. Well, obviously. 

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