Located in the southeastern portion of Florida, Miami-Dade County is home to around 2.5 million residents. This number makes Miami-Dade the state's most populated county, and one of the top ten largest counties in the nation. The county is bordered by Broward County to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Florida Keys to the south, and the Everglades to the west. According to the county's Web site www.MiamiDade.gov, one-third of the county is located in Everglades National Park. With warm, sunny conditions for most of the year, Miami-Dade attracts everything from tourists to migrating sea turtles.

In spite of its many attractive features, Miami-Dade County is facing a number of challenges. Home sales in Miami-Dade County did not escape the housing market bust. In fact, the median price of a home fell from around $330,000 at the end of 2007 to roughly $165,000 by the beginning of 2009. In conjunction with the sharp decline in home sales, foreclosures continue to have a negative impact on Miami-Dade.

In addition to its housing troubles, Miami-Dade County is also dealing with above national and state unemployment rate averages. According to www.MiamiDade.gov, certain communities in Miami-Dade County have an unemployment rate of 15 percent, with some areas having a rate as high as 20 percent. Miami-Dade County faces an uphill battle with both employment and its housing market.

For more information about Miami-Dade County's 35 municipalities, go to www.MiamiDade.gov. The county's non-emergency police contact number is 305-4-POLICE.