PHOENIX — Arizona's snowbird season is underway, and a new report shows just how significant the annual migration is for the state's economy.
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StorageCafe ranked nearly 100 snowbird destinations across the country. Florida and Texas dominate the list — all 10 of the top-ranked cities are in those two states. Arizona is one of just six states with a ranked city, alongside Georgia, Louisiana and Hawaii.
Arizona's top-ranked snowbird cities
Yuma leads Arizona's rankings, followed by Lake Havasu City and Tucson. Bullhead City, Mesa and Casa Grande also made the report but did not crack the top 100.
What drives the rankings
Housing access and price are the primary factors behind the rankings.
In Yuma, 58% of vacant homes are seasonal or short-term. The median home price there sits well below the state median. Seasonal housing availability is similar across most other ranked Arizona cities, with Tucson as the exception.
For renters, expect to pay around $1,100 per month in Yuma and Bullhead City. In Mesa, that figure climbs to around $1,600 per month.
The economic impact
The payoff for Arizona is substantial. From October to April, the state's population can jump 10% to 15% — that's between 800,000 and 1.2 million additional people spending money here.
In metro Phoenix alone, the economic impact is estimated at more than $1 billion per year.
Yuma sees one of the most dramatic surges. The city nearly doubles in size during snowbird season, with an estimated $180 million flowing into its local economy.
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