Is Modello safe?
Leisure City, Florida · safety score updated nightly
Be careful — go in daylight and stay on the busier streets.
VibeLoco rates Modello as “Caution”.
Gogo's take on Modello
“Go with care. Modello in Leisure City is predominantly a residential, working-class suburban enclave with little to offer casual tourists aside from roadside eateries along US-1. Visitors should exercise standard situational awareness, especially after dark and around commercial corridors along South Dixie Highway.”
South Miami-Dade law enforcement periodically focuses patrols on Dixie Highway commercial corridors to curb vehicle burglaries and street-level disturbances.
About the area
Located in southern Miami-Dade County adjacent to Homestead, Modello is a quiet, predominantly Hispanic residential neighborhood characterized by modest single-family homes, duplexes, and local strip malls. While it offers a glimpse of authentic local life and quick access to South Florida agricultural attractions, it experiences above-average property crime and pockets of poverty.
- Car-Dependent
- Working-Class
- Suburban
- Strip-Mall Commercial
Walking and biking in Modello
Walk score: 42/100 · Bike score: 51/100
The South Dade Rail Trail / Transitway multi-use path runs directly along the eastern edge of the area, offering a continuous paved bike route, though there is no municipal bike-share system.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Convenient access to US-1 and the South Dade Transitway corridor
- Close proximity to South Florida agricultural attractions, Fruit & Spice Park, and the Florida Keys
- Tight-knit, family-oriented residential blocks off the main thoroughfares
Cons
- Elevated rates of property crime and vehicle break-ins compared to regional averages
- Higher poverty rate and lower median household income than Miami-Dade County overall
- Limited street lighting and pedestrian infrastructure on interior residential streets
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is moderately present along the US-1 / South Dixie Highway corridor and around bus shelters, but unhoused encampments are rarely found deep within interior residential blocks.
What Modello is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Active with residents commuting and school traffic; generally quiet and safe for a morning walk.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Busy along US-1 commercial strips with typical suburban traffic, while residential side streets remain calm.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Commercial plazas stay active with diners, though diminished lighting on side streets requires heightened caution.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Quiet residential areas, but isolated commercial pockets and bus stops along Dixie Highway warrant extra caution.
Transit, parking and getting around
Miami-Dade Transit operates Metrobus routes (including Route 38 Busway MAX and Route 34) running along the dedicated South Dade Transitway adjacent to US-1, providing express connections north to Dadeland South Metrorail station.
Ample and free surface parking is available in strip mall plazas along US-1, and street parking in residential subdivisions is free and generally straightforward.
Things to do in Modello
- Sample authentic Latin American street food along the US-1 / Dixie Highway corridor
- Take a short drive west to visit the historic Fruit & Spice Park in neighboring Redland
- Use the neighborhood as a convenient launch point for road trips south into the Florida Keys or Everglades
Local favorites
- Taqueria Morelia · Mexican Restaurant · 4.6★ (2340)Renowned local spot serving authentic Michoacan-style tacos with an extensive salsa bar.
- La Cruzada Restaurant · Mexican Restaurant · 4.5★ (1150)Long-running neighborhood staple offering hearty traditional Mexican plates and breakfast.
- Pekos Grill · Venezuelan Restaurant · 4.4★ (520)Popular quick-service eatery known for generous Venezuelan street food, pepitos, and burgers.
Scores are safety-driven — recent reported crime and local news plus Census income, poverty, housing, education, household and access data — refreshed nightly. Walk and bike scores are shown separately and do not affect the safety score. A guide, not a guarantee — conditions change street to street.