Where'd you rather move for Warm Winter Weather (house, safe area)

[censusdata]

It's been extremely frigid here in Kentucky the past few weeks which got my thinking: where'd you rather move for warm weather, esp mild winters.

In the Lower 48 there are basically 3 areas you can move to where winters are generall mild:

1. Coast of California/ southern areas of Arizona
2. Most of Texas
3. Most of Florida

Here's a current temp map for the US (it will change hourly)

[Waterlily]

I picked CA and AZ. I have grandchildren in southern California and don't want to be clear across the country from them. It is warm in southern CA, but I like northern California better. It's not so crowded there.

[babigyrl5]

I picked California but if there was an option for "other" I would say the Carolinas....like greenville, SC or Columbia, SC

[Bo]

Cost of living is lowest in Texas of the three you listed. Your dollar buys more house and more groceries here. That's important to retirees.

[westhou]

Sometimes it gets really cold here in Houston and at those times I wish I was living in Key West

[Steve-o]

Well, since this is regarding winter weather, south Florida is the only place listed that doesnt get as cold as the rest of the states listed. Most of the time south Florida's LOW temps are higher than CA, TX and AZ's high temps for the day (in winter). The Keys are the warmest in the USA for winter... I choose the keys. Plus, you can swim in the winter there, not the other states listed. Might as well go all out, right?

[bhouston77386]

If you hate cold Key west and hawauu are the best for you.

Texas has very mild winters and is really affordable.

So Cali has great year round weather but the average person can't afford a decent home there.

[censusdata]

Originally Posted by Bowie

Cost of living is lowest in Texas of the three you listed. Your dollar buys more house and more groceries here. That's important to retirees.

Austin, San Antonio, and El Paso are also 3 of the safest large cities in the US. Living in a safe area of LA or Phoenix cost an arm and a leg.

Florida has hurricanes, alligators, and humidity. People there actually have there dogs eaten in front of them by gators when going for a walk - no thanks!

[censusdata]

Originally Posted by westhou

Sometimes it gets really cold here in Houston and at those times I wish I was living in Key West

My definition of a warm winter is an average January high of 60 or higher, which Austin/ San Antonio, SouCal, and Orlando/ Tampa/ Miami have. North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee are NOT mild winter states because they have January highes that only average in the 40s

[JoshB]

What about a place like La Feria, Texas?