Seasonal Migration of the Elderly: Minnesota Snowbirds

Winter migration of the elderly from the North to warmer places is a significant and growing phenomenon. Minnesota is a leading generator of such "snowbird" activity. Statewide cross-section surveys of 3,036 elderly households revealed an increase from 9.2% rate of snowbird activity in 1988 to 10.5% in 1989. Most travelers choose the three coldest months to be gone, but those snowbirds who will be gone four months or more begin leaving in the fall. Arizona is the most popular destination for Minnesotans, followed by Florida, California, and Texas. Over one third of snowbirds go the South. Snowbirds and others who travel outside the state are younger than their sedentary counterparts, and are better off financially, in better health, more often retired from a white-collar job, in more regular contact with family and friends, and more involved in volunteer work. What distinguishes snowbirds from other travelers is that a higher percentage are married, more engage in regular physical activity, and more live in rural areas and small towns. Their leaving has a small impact on the state as a whole, but a much larger impact on rural communities.