The 7 best cities in America for snowbirds fleeing winter
Retirees looking for a sunny winter getaway should check out these warm-weather destinations
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Snowbirds are heading south for the season — if they haven’t already. But where are the best places for them?
The personal finance website FinanceBuzz tried to figure it out. It looked at a series of factors across four key metrics: livability, affordability, culture/recreation, and temperature/climate. It considered everything from a city’s health practitioners per capita to how many golf courses it has.
Continue reading to see the top seven cities that made the list and why.
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#7: Victoria, Texas
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Texas’s only city to make it on the list, Victoria won praise for its central location. While it’s not on the water, it’s close to the beach and not a far drive from Houston or San Antonio, giving residents lots of options. Plus, it stays warmer in the winter than more northern cities in Texas.
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#6: Brunswick, Georgia
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While Brunswick has a colder climate than other cities on the list, it got strong ratings for the numbers of museums and performing art centers per capita. Plus, it has plenty of golf courses and a plethora of retail stores, making it a recreational haven for snowbirds.
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#5: Naples, Florida
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An obvious pick, Naples has been a retirement hotspot for years. But for good reason: It has great weather, lots of culture and recreational activities, and golf courses galore.
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#4: Homosassa Springs, Florida
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Homosassa Springs on the state’s Gulf Coast ranked high thanks to its much-lauded state park, plus a low-crime rate and a high percentage of retirees for snowbirds to socialize with.
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#3: Sebastian, Florida
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Another Florida spot on the list, Sebastian, a coastal city near Vero Beach, got high livability scores, with lots of malls and golf courses, plus great beaches.
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#2: Sebring, Florida
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The most affordable spot in Florida on the list, Sebring offers a 17% lower cost of living than the national average. Although it's not on the ocean, it is on a lake, and offers great weather and a large retiree community.
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#1: The Villages, Florida
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The famed retirement community took the top spot on FinanceBuzz’s ranking, confirming its “Disney World for Adults” moniker. It has a great livability score, plus lots of recreational opportunities, and, of course, a high share of retirees.