This Florida City Is the No. 1 Warm-weather Destination for Retirees, Seniors, and Snowbirds

An estimated one million "snowbirds," primarily from Canada and the rest of the United States, will migrate to Florida in the colder months, boosting its population by five percent. These are usually older adults and retirees searching to escape the grip of winter in their home states and soak up some Vitamin D on one of the many sun-drenched beaches of Florida.

And according to a recent report, Cape Coral's warm climate and wide range of outdoor recreation make it the best destination for this. Retirement Living.com analyzed 100 American cities for three main indicators: climate, affordability, and community, and ranked the top 25 of them, where seniors can wait out the winter.

Cape Coral, located on the Gulf of Mexico in southwest Florida, ranked first in the community category thanks to its sizeable population of people aged 60 or older. The city also fared well in terms of safety, as Retirement Living reports that it has the second- and third-lowest violent and property crime rates.

While Cape Coral is known for its canals — the city famously has more navigable waterways than Venice — the region's many golf courses make it stand out in this ranking. The Cape Coral-Fort Myers area is home to over 80 golf courses, the fifth most in the country. These include Palmetto-Pine Country Club and Coral Oaks Golf Course, built in the 1980s within a beautiful oak hammock dating back a century.

Of course, climate is the main factor when choosing a warm winter destination. Retirement Living notes that Cape Coral has the sixth-highest average temperature or 67.2 degrees, and the seventh-highest percentage, or 64.2 percent, of clear days between November and March, helping the city snatch the sixth spot in the climate category.

However, Cape Coral's weakest point was its affordability (it ranked 27th). While, at $370,293, the average home value is lower than that for Florida, prospective homeowners should keep in mind that housing costs and insurance have skyrocketed in the region due to concerns about hurricane damage and climate change. (All Cape Coral residents live in evacuation zones based on storm surge levels.)

Still, Cape Coral continues to be a popular winter destination and a year-round home for many. Last year, it was the 15th fastest-growing metro area in the country.

El Paso and Laredo in Texas were the second- and third-best warm-weather winter destinations for seniors in Retirement Living's ranking. If cost of living is your main concern, then look into Macon in Georgia, which ranked first in the affordability category. While the city lacks beaches, it is rich in history and beautiful architecture.

Earlier this year, HometoGo also announced its list of most budget-friendly warm-weather destinations for "snowbirds," which was topped by Englewood, Florida, a small beach town also on the Gulf of Mexico. 

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