“Spread your tiny wings and fly away

And take the snow back with you …”

Anne Murray once sang about that magical, tiny migrating bird.

In Florida, human “snowbirds” will soon be flocking to the Sunshine State, and most of them won’t be heading to Miami.

According to a recent StorageCafe analyses of more than 470 warm-weather U.S. cities, 63 of the country’s top 100 destinations are in Florida. The highest-ranked destinations this year are inland, not beachfront.

Winter Haven, in Polk County lives up to its name as the No. 1 snowbird destination, with its interconnected Chain of Lakes, golf and a median home value of about $270,000. Nearly half of its vacant homes are held for seasonal use.

Not far away, Lakeland lands as the No. 2 spot, with its 38 lakes and an easy drive to Tampa and Orlando. About a third of its vacant homes are held for seasonal use.

Climate, housing and grocery costs, seasonal housing, health care, safety and recreation are the primary reasons “northerners” come to Florida.

McAllen and Mission, cities in Texas, land at Nos. 3 and 4, while Vero Beach takes the No. 5 slot and is the highest-ranked beach town in the country, followed in Florida by Hollywood (No. 6) and Clearwater (No. 9).

Regionally, Hollywood tops South Florida, ahead of Miami (No. 24) and Fort Lauderdale (No. 29).

Clearwater leads Tampa Bay. Sarasota (No. 11) and Bradenton (No. 12) each outrank Naples (No. 115) by more than 100 spots.

Fort Myers (No. 35) leads Southwest Florida and Pensacola (No. 56) leads the Panhandle.

Victor Maghear, consumer trends and market analyst at StorageCafe, estimates that roughly 40 million retirees and remote workers in colder states could spend part of the winter somewhere warmer, and their impact reaches well beyond tourism.

“Snowbirds fill seasonal homes and keep local restaurants, shops and clinics busy for months at a time,” he said.

The top 10 snowbird destinations:

1. Winter Haven

2. Lakeland

3. McAllen, Texas

4. Mission, Texas

5. Vero Beach

6. Hollywood, Fla.

7. Brownsville, Texas

8. Harlingen, Texas

9. Clearwater

10. Lake Wales

Miami ranks 24th, while Miami Beach ranks 68th.

Texas, with 25 cities in the Top 100, also has the top 10 most-affordable snowbird cities. Lake City lands at No. 18 on that list to lead Florida destinations.

The least-affordable destinations?

1. Boca Raton

2. Honolulu

3. North Palm Beach

4. Miami Beach

5. Delray Beach

6. Fort Lauderdale

7. Oviedo

8. Miami

9. Boynton Beach

10. Sarasota

“Snowbirds are increasingly looking at a combination of economic, lifestyle, and practical factors when deciding where to spend the winter,” said Dr. Xiaoxiao Fu, Associate Professor and Ph.D. advisor at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida. “Climate remains the foundation of the decision: warm temperatures, sunshine, and opportunities for outdoor activities are still major attractions. However, weather alone is no longer sufficient to explain destination choice,” she added, noting that affordability, healthcare access, recreation outlets, and good roads and nearby airports also rank high when making their choices.

By the way, the StorageCafe (storagecafe.com) analysis shows that self storage also costs less in Florida’s inland leaders, where average monthly rents run $110 to $129, compared with a Florida average of about $141.

“Self storage makes that two-home routine easier, letting returning snowbirds keep clothing, golf gear and household basics near their winter base,” Maghear said.

“… So, little snowbird take me with you when you go

To that land of gentle breezes where the peaceful water flow.”

Click here to see how all 472 cities stack up in the full study and interactive ranking.