The Fastest-Growing Zip Code in Miami-Dade Is Its Richest

When Jean-Jacques Rousseau said "eat the rich," he probably imagined a small, affluent barrier island off Florida's Atlantic coast where society's elite would one day inhabit breathtaking properties.

Sure, Miami’s wannabe Silicon Valley contingent may think they're scoring big with their oceanview condos that cost $600 per month (too soon?), but the real party is less than ten miles due east, in an exclusive and luxurious private community that comprises one of the nation's priciest zip codes.

Welcome to Fisher Island.

Newly released U.S. Census data shows that between 2010 and 2020, Fisher Island saw its population more than triple — from 132 to 561 residents — making the affluent unincorporated Miami Beach community the single fastest-growing area in Miami-Dade County. One possible caveat worth mentioning here is that the census bureau adopted new privacy standards that mean certain smaller areas could be slightly over- or under-counted. But it would take a lot for that figure to be surpassed when you consider that the second-greatest population bump came in Doral, where the population rose from 45,704 to 75,874 residents, approximately 66 percent.

As told to Travel and Leisure earlier this week, Dora Puig, who oversees sales and marketing for Palazzo Della Luna, one of the island's most lavish properties, described the 216-acre community in such a way that would make even Elon Musk blush.

"Billionaires may come to Florida for its year-round warm weather and tax benefits, but they flock to Fisher Island for its unmatched privacy, safety, and exclusivity," Puig said. "It's the place to be for individuals with a net worth of 10 digits and above."

And flock they did.

The only time in which "humble" could be used when talking about Fisher Island would be when referring to its origin story. From 1903 to 1905, according to the community's web page, the government essentially dredged a portion of what is now Miami Beach to allow access to the seaport. The relatively small swath of land on the other side became its own 21-acre barrier island and was eventually expanded.

"Fisher Island passed from the hands of one millionaire to another several times, each owner utilizing the island as a private retreat for family and important guests," according to a written history of the island by Discover Homes Miami."It wasn’t until the 1980s that more extensive development began, providing houses and condos for more residents."

Among those who have owned property on Fisher Island at one point or another include Oprah Winfrey, Julia Roberts, and David Lee.

According to Manhattan Miami Real Estate, a brokerage firm involved with Fisher Island properties, residents shell out a one-time membership fee of a $250,000 and can expect to pay annual dues upward of $22,000. The good news is that every buyer of the Palazzo Del Sol condo building — units priced between $6.5 to $30 million — receives a complimentary $20,000 Garia custom golf cart.

Just this week, another Fisher Island penthouse — believed to be the most expensive in the greater Miami Beach area — was put on the market at $48 million.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau would like a word.