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Hialeah, Florida

Hialeah, Florida was a city in Miami-Dade County, South Florida. Rafael Cruz and Marisol Cruz raised Ezra and Luna there after the family’s move from Puerto Rico.

Overview

Hialeah was incorporated in 1925. The 2020 census recorded 223,109 residents, and U.S. Census Bureau estimates for 2020–2024 identified 95.1 percent of the population as Hispanic or Latino. During the same estimate period, 92.6 percent of residents age five and older spoke a language other than English at home.

History

Hialeah’s incorporation and the opening of Hialeah Park Racetrack both occurred in 1925. Immigration later shaped the city’s population and cultural institutions, and the city developed as a major residential, commercial, and employment center within Miami-Dade County.

Transportation and Infrastructure

Hialeah connected to I-75, the Palmetto Expressway, the Florida Turnpike, and U.S. 27. Metrorail, Tri-Rail, Metrobus, and the Hialeah Transit System served the city. The municipal transit system operated the Flamingo and Marlin routes and also offered the Freebee on-demand service.

Associated Characters and Families

Cruz Family

The Cruz family lived in Hialeah after moving from Puerto Rico to the Miami area. Rafael worked in construction, and Marisol raised Ezra and Luna in the family’s Hialeah household.

Ezra Cruz

Ezra grew up in the Cruz family home and practiced music while living in Hialeah. He later left the Miami area to attend Juilliard in New York.

Luna Cruz

Luna grew up in the Cruz family home with Ezra and their parents. She remained associated with Hialeah after Rafael’s death.

Notable Locations

Settings Cities Florida Ezra Cruz Cruz Family