Florida City's housing stock is modest and practical, reflecting its role as a working-class agricultural community and Miami suburb. Single-family homes, small apartment buildings, and some newer construction make up much of the residential inventory, alongside lodging and motels oriented toward travelers bound for Everglades National Park and the Florida Keys. Homes are generally more affordable than in coastal and central Miami-Dade, drawing households seeking lower-cost entry into the South Florida market. The setting is semi-rural in places, with open agricultural land nearby, giving the city a distinct character from the denser suburbs to the north.

Florida City is compact, with a commercial spine along U.S. 1 and Palm Drive serving both residents and passing travelers. Residential streets extend outward from these corridors in a low-rise, largely single-family pattern, with lodging concentrated near the highway junctions that funnel visitors toward the Everglades and the Keys. The city is closely tied to adjacent Homestead, with which it shares services, schools, and commercial activity. Its southern edge opens toward agricultural land and the approach to the Overseas Highway, while the western edge gives way to the Everglades. Development is modest and functional, shaped by the city's role as a gateway rather than a destination suburb.

Life in Florida City is shaped by its gateway position and agricultural surroundings. The community has a practical, working-class character, with employment tied to farming, lodging, and services for travelers heading to Everglades National Park and the Florida Keys. Residents benefit from the everyday amenities of adjacent Homestead, including its historic downtown, farmers markets, and community events, while the national parks offer world-class recreation at the city's doorstep. The pace is slower and less dense than in central Miami-Dade, with a strong sense of place at the meeting point of the Everglades, the Keys, and South Florida's agricultural interior.

Florida City is served by Miami-Dade County Public Schools, one of the largest school districts in the nation. Students attend elementary, middle, and high schools in and around Florida City and neighboring Homestead, with access to the district's magnet programs and specialized academies. Higher education options include Miami Dade College's Homestead Campus and nearby technical and vocational programs. For families, the city's location within a large county district provides a broad range of school choices, while community resources in Homestead supplement educational and youth programs in the South Dade area.

Florida City sits at a key South Dade transportation junction. The Florida Turnpike terminates in the city and merges with U.S. Route 1, which continues north toward Miami and south toward the Florida Keys via the Overseas Highway. Palm Drive (State Road 9336) runs west from the city to the main entrance of Everglades National Park. This convergence of highways makes Florida City the de facto mainland gateway for Keys-bound and park-bound traffic. Miami-Dade Transit provides bus service connecting to Homestead and the Metrorail system, and Miami International Airport is reachable by highway. Most residents and travelers rely on private vehicles.

Florida City's recreation is defined by its proximity to Everglades National Park, whose main entrance and Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center lie just west of the city along Palm Drive. The park offers wildlife viewing, hiking, birding, canoeing, and kayaking across its sawgrass marshes and mangrove estuaries, with the Royal Palm and Flamingo areas accessible from the Florida City entrance. Biscayne National Park and the reefs and waters of Biscayne Bay lie nearby, and the Florida Keys offer fishing, boating, and diving within easy reach. Local parks and the recreational facilities of adjacent Homestead round out everyday outdoor options for residents.