"Miami" is a big area. if his work is in North Miami then you could probably get away with living in the North Broward area (Coral Springs/Parkland/Deerfield Beach). generally nice and safe suburban area filled with middle and upper-middle class people, about an hour from downtown Miami. if it's south Miami, Kendall has some really nice suburban areas. Cooper City/Davie in South West Broward is a little more rural feeling, horse farms and the like, and nearby Pembroke Pines has a similar suburban "shopping-mall and starbucks" feel to North Broward, both roughly 40 minutes from downtown. if you're looking for something a little more homegrown and don't mind learning some spanish, i'm actually a big fan of the Little Havana area just a little west of downtown Miami. maybe a little more dangerous than the other places i mentioned, but not "crime ridden" by any means. much more culture though, and some of the Cuban food there is likely the best in the country. Aventura is an area in more north-eastern Miami that a lot of more affluent tend to really enjoy, and you're a 15-20 minute shot from downtown. if you're making good money and you like trendy sushi restaurants and yoga studios and the like, it's a great and safe place to live. a lot of people also seem to really like the areas around University of Miami and the old Orange Bowl (soon to be new Marlins Stadium) off US1, middle to upper-middle class, nice neighborhoods, lots of retirees and families, good old-Miami feel, and it's pretty affordable right now. probably the safest area in the "heart" of Miami. this might be your best bet. i grew up and have lived in South Florida my whole life and it's where my heart will always stay, so if you have questions about specific areas or whatnot i would be happy to share.
good luck!
