So many northern retirees head to Florida these days that snowbirds have become something of a cliche. But it seems that destinations are changing.
Many retirees, the so-called half-backs, are now stopping at the halfway point in their southern migration, settling in the southern Appalachian Mountains in North Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, and other states nearby.
For many years, Appalachia ranked among the least developed parts of the United States. Now, the region is being reshaped by a large influx of retirees — not just Yankees heading south, but even retirees from Florida moving north. Tellingly, the population of southern Appalachian counties with retirement or recreational areas expanded by nearly 4 percent from April 2020 to July 2022, far outpacing the national average.
The southern Appalachian Mountains have become a hot spot, thanks to warm summers and mild winters wide-open land, beautiful scenery, and relatively affordable prices. Consider Abingdon, Va., which Southern Living recently recognized as one of the best places to retire. Zillow reports that the average value of homes in Abingdon was $263,000 as of March 2024, compared to $600,000 in Naples, Fla. In addition to lower property prices, you won't find many gators, hurricanes are distant threats, and most folks won't need to run their air conditioners around the clock.
It's not all good news, however. In many areas, traffic now overwhelms the often narrow and winding roads. Local economies are growing, but the rising cost of living has left some longtime residents struggling to stay afloat. This has prompted some long-established locals to urge the so-called half-backs to head back to where they came from. But with the number of folks age 65 or older projected to rise from just over 49 million in 2016 to over 85 million in 2050, more halfback migrants are likely on the way.