The economy and healthcare are the top concerns for Cuban Americans in Miami-Dade County, according to the 2026 edition of the FIU Cuba Poll, released on October 27 by Florida International University.
On a scale of importance from one to five, the economy received an average score of 4.78, followed by health with 4.73, while immigration scored 4.35 and policy towards Cuba received 4.18.
The survey, conducted by Doctors Guillermo J. Grenier and Qing Lai from the Department of Global and Sociocultural Studies at FIU, is based on interviews with 1,004 self-identified Cuban-American adults residing in Miami-Dade, conducted between September 4 and September 29, 2026.
The seven assessed matters are completed with China (4.01), Russia (3.96), and DEI —diversity, equity, and inclusion— (3.30), which holds the last place.
The pattern is consistent across all demographic subgroups, though with notable differences. By gender, men and women agree on the top two priorities; women rate the economy and health equally (4.81), while men prioritize the economy (4.74) over health (4.63). Women also place a higher value on immigration (4.47 compared to 4.23) and the policy toward Cuba (4.30 compared to 4.05).
Age introduces another significant nuance: among those under 60, the economy leads—peaking in the 40 to 59 age group, where it reaches 4.84—while health ranks highest among those aged 60 or older.
Concern about Cuba's policy steadily increases with age: from 3.89 among those aged 18 to 39 to 4.47 among those aged 76 and older, who rank it in third place, ahead of immigration.
By party affiliation, all groups agree on the first two positions. Republicans prioritize the economy (4.77); Democrats tie health and the economy (4.85 each). Among non-citizens, the policy towards Cuba rises to third place at 4.66, above immigration (4.49).
Grenier noted that Cuba typically ranks lower on the list of priorities: "Cuba usually appears in fifth or sixth place, and in 2026 it rose to fourth."
The researcher also described an apparent contradiction in the community's preferences: respondents want "two things at once," a stricter approach to the regime and a more manageable life for the Cuban people.
This trend is not new. In the 2022 and 2024 editions of the same survey, economy, health, and immigration were already at the top of the priorities, with the policy towards Cuba ranked lower than those three issues. The 2026 edition solidifies that pattern.
The electoral context adds further weight to the results: 89% of those surveyed are U.S. citizens, and 95% of them reported being registered to vote in anticipation of the elections on November third in Miami-Dade for the governorship of Florida and Congress.
Sixty-eight percent affirmed that they would vote for Republican candidates for Congress, although the 76% rejects the deportation of Cubans without criminal records, illustrating the tension between party loyalty and specific concerns of the community.
The FIU Cuba Poll has been conducted since 1991 and is considered the most extensive and rigorous series of surveys on the Cuban-American community in South Florida.
The methodological document emphasizes that the political involvement of this community is "critically important, especially during presidential election years."
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