New Study is the Ultimate Guide to Snowbird Destinations

Many people find winters to be intolerably brutal, especially older people who have chronic aches and pains. The solution for many is to migrate south like the birds to soak in warmer weather and sunshine. Hence the term “snowbird!” Snowbirds escape the dreary northern weather months for the American Sun Belt. But there are many options in terms of states and counties to live in. That’s where a new study from the Florida Rentals team comes in. They created a careful analysis based on, first of all, weather, but also other important factors like cost of living and age demographics.

The study analyzed all 50 states and applied its scoring system to them. In the highest-scoring states, the team also scored specific counties in those states. The methodology weighed the weather the most heavily.

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Florida Has a Slam Dunk Snowbird Score

Florida took a healthy lead in snowbird scores, which comes as no surprise since it’s known as a snowbird paradise. The state scored 88.19 out of 100 thanks to sunshine and warm temperatures year-round, fairly low taxes, and a high population of people over 65. The Sunshine State population is 21.6% over 65, and the average winter temperatures are 59.4 degrees, and of course, no snow. These conditions draw around a million snowbirds to Florida every year, enough to increase the state population by 5% in the winter months.

As for other high-scoring states, another southern state rich in beaches, South Carolina, comes in second at 85.91 points. It’s followed by New Mexico and Arizona, both desert states, scoring 84.41 and 84.19, respectively. New Mexico and Arizona have the added bonus of low humidity, a great soother to people with chronic pain conditions like arthritis.

Choosing the Best Snowbird Counties

Many people are aware of which state they’d like to live in for the winter, but the team can help prospective snowbirds decide on a specific location with their county scores. Diving deeper into the data, we find that Florida has 60% of the top 10 high-scoring snowbird counties. Citrus County leads with a score of 88.12, a hidden gem with a high senior population, 6% sales tax rate, 60.9° F average winter temperatures, and roughly $3,563 monthly cost of living. Delve into the team’s other data to learn more about great snowbird counties.

Snowbird Scores Beyond Weather

While climate will always be the most important factor in a migration based entirely on temperature and weather, the team made sure to consider other key factors. Economics can play a huge role in a person’s decision to move. The county analysis helped in this consideration since Collier County, containing the city of Naples, Florida, is highly sought after, but the team shows us it’s also one of the most expensive locations.

Budget-conscious snowbirds might look to warm states with a low cost of living, like Arkansas, as a more affordable alternative to Florida or South Carolina. Overall, this is a comprehensive analysis of the best locations for snowbirds to flock to before the weather takes a turn for the chilly.