I am an army brat that has lived in fourteen states and a foreign country. I use to drive a truck around the country and followed the Grateful Dead around the USA for two summers. I have been blessed to see all of the lower 48 states, parts of Canada and a good chunk of Mexico. I have seen some wonderful and some down right scary places. I now live just outside of Baltimore MD. My city has more people living in it than the whole state of Wyoming. My wife and I have had wanderlust for years now and we have been exploring other places in a serious manor. I just keep feeling the grass is greener someplace else.
After our son graduated we knew it was time to leave the big city, Dallas, where I'm from. Among other areas we investigated (western New Mexico, southern Utah), we travelled to Portland, ME Boise, ID and Spokane, WA. Decided that while we liked them, the winter was simply too long (or other problems as we saw it).
We wound up in Corpus Christi. Ahead of the curve for the amenities here versus home prices. The summer is rather tremendous -- the combination of heat and humidity (but never the 107F of Dallas) -- but the late fall through late spring is gorgeous. Winter is about three weeks of, "maybe it'll get below 40F again".
Cheapest land on the Gulf of Mexico as well as being the highest point from Veracruz, Mexico to Key West.
For an outdoorsman it's impressive. I was always jealous of college friends who had their teenage years here due to the great beaches on the various barrier islands of the Gulf.
There must be as many answers to your question as there are people who offer answers. I think both Money & Furtune magazines write articles about good places to live & I think I remember seeing both of them on-line. Having lived and explored all around the country, I have found their recommendations to line up with my thoughts in those areas in which I have had experience.
There is no simple answer to your question but, having been born, raised and educated in West Virginia and then having either lived in or toured in nearly every other state, I can guarantee you there is one hellova beautiful country filled with warm and friendly people west of New England!
If you are adventerous, adapt well to change and can make a living in other places, I suggest you consider the potential of enriching your life by experiencing other regions.
If you're a computer geek and like to ski, Oregon or Washington should be in your sights. Lots of programmers work from home (can you say: No commute!), skiing is year 'round (glacier on Mt. Hood for example), hunting and fishing are supurb--hey, you can hunt in our pasture to pick off some of those elk that keep eating all our apples. Both OR and WA have extensive wine industries--good stuff. You mention Rhode Island, so you may be interested in sailing. None better than sailing through the San Juans. Fabulous sail boarding in the Columbia Gorge (and Hood River, OR is a wonderful place to live: close to major city (Portland) but less rain, very close to Mt. Hood for great skiing and the Gorge for water sports. We live in St. Helens, OR (No, not the mountain, though we can see it from our front porch across the Columbia River and some 30 miles into Washington). Nice little laid-back community, about 30 miles from Portland. Best luck on your search. I've lived in Idaho, Texas, Washington, Alaska and Oregon. Oregon's my favorite. Nancy
no toronados, no snow, no earth quakes, no floods, 300 days of sun a year, no freeways, medical school, no sunamis, relaxed pace, not too hot
Tucson
You are so right but should add we are only 2hr from the cool pine trees above the mogollon rim in the summer and lot of camping in the desert in the winter.Can camp all year round and do not have to drive over a few hours to many good places.
Valley of the sun (Phoenix metro area)also has the Mayo clinic and hospital.
I was camping 160+day last year ALL IN ARIZONA and that is good with gas costing so many $$$$.
Thank you all so far for all of the ideas and suggestions. We're certainly hearing of some places that we hadn't thought about. Jerry I think that you captured it right, I guess we want to enrich our lives. Thanks again for the ideas, keep'em coming.......
__________________ Brian & Donna 08 27' Safari FB SE 03 Avalanche 2500 WBCCI #1199 - AIR #23847 NEU LIFE IS GOOD
Were looking also. Great thread. I think a good Drinkable water supply will Very important in ten years! Water will be our next "Gasoline"
Gas will be $10/gal. Water $2.50/gal. Soylent Green $ 5.00/pd.
What part of Texas??? What do you like about it???
I am in the Southern Panhandle of Texas near Lubbock, TX...the home of Texas Tech University, a member of the Big 12 Conference.
Texas Tech is a leader in engineering, pulse energy technology, nano technology, agri-research, business, financial planning, law, pharmacy, and medicine.
Lubbock has the largest medical community between Dallas, Phoenix, and Denver because of the Texas Tech University Medical School.
Lubbock has the friendliest people you will find anywhere, and lots of land and sky making real estate prices among the lowest in the nation per square foot.
The climate is semi-arid with about 18 inches of rainfall per year average.
We produce 25% of the nation's cotton within 70 miles of Lubbock TX.
The arts flourish in Lubbock's music scene, and well known artists such as Glenna Goodacre hail from Lubbock.
Abundant sunshine, low humidity, mild Winters, and non-oppressive Summers make Lubbock a nice an overall climate as can be found in a semi-rural, low tax, low crime, university town. There will be about 7 days a year on average with high winds and blowing sand in the air....(population control for true Yankees).
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Now we're just regular trailer trash.
You are so right but should add we are only 2hr from the cool pine trees above the mogollon rim in the summer and lot of camping in the desert in the winter.Can camp all year round and do not have to drive over a few hours to many good places. 
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