Report: Polk County cities dominate nationwide spots for snowbirds

Florida’s beaches might be the biggest draw for weary winter travelers, but a new study says it’s the state’s inland cities that win out on the practicalities of waiting out an entire season away from home.

A new national study by online self-storage listing platform StorageCafe names Winter Haven the No. 1 snowbird destination in the U.S. for the 2026-2027 winter season. Nestled along the I-4 corridor, it’s a town known more for its golf courses, agriculture and Legoland Florida Resort than its beaches, though its extensive Chain of Lakes are a magnet for boating, fishing and waterskiing. 

Lakeland earned the No. 2 spot on StorageCafe’s ranking and Lake Wales placed at no. 10, giving landlocked Polk County three cities in the top 10. 

The study, published Oct. 1, evaluated 472 cities across the U.S. on 14 different factors that make the difference between a week-long vacation and a months-long stay, such as winter temperatures, housing and grocery costs, seasonal housing availability, healthcare access, safety and recreation. Florida swept the nation in the rankings with 63 of the top 100 cities, followed by Texas with 25. 

Victor Maghear, consumer trends and market analyst at StorageCafe, estimates that about 40 million retirees and remote workers in colder states spend part of their winter somewhere warmer. And despite the draw of Florida’s beaches, inland towns win out for their infrastructure, with home values about one-third lower than on the coast and more distance from hurricane-prone shores, Maghear says.

Winter Haven has a median home value of about $270,000, the study says, and nearly half its vacant homes are designated for seasonal use. About one third of Lakeland’s vacant homes are held for seasonal use, the study says, and Lake Wales has a median monthly rent of about $1,110 and a seasonal-use share of 43% of vacant homes. 

Florida’s Gulf Coast is well-represented in StorageCafe’s rankings, with Clearwater placing No. 9 on the list followed by Sarasota, No. 11, and Bradenton No. 12. Tampa ranks No. 15. 

Image courtesy of StorageCafe

Other highly ranked communities across the region include Haines City at No. 14, New Port Richey at No. 17, Auburndale at No. 21, Palmetto at No. 26 and Dunedin at No. 27. Farther down the list, Venice places No. 60 and St. Petersburg No. 66. 

Fort Myers leads Southwest Florida at No. 35. Naples ranks No. 115, trailing Sarasota and Bradenton by more than 100 places.

StorageCafe also included storage rental rates among its ranking factors. Storage costs are much lower in Florida’s inland communities, where the average monthly rents run $110 to $129, compared to the statewide average of about $141. Average monthly rates are $110 in Winter Haven, $114 in Lakeland and $129 in Lake Wales, compared with a Florida average of about $141, the company says. 

“Snowbirds fill seasonal homes and keep local restaurants, shops and clinics busy for months at a time,” Maghear says in the release. “Self storage makes that two-home routine easier, letting returning snowbirds keep clothing, golf gear and household basics near their winter base.”