Thanks to the DH's military career, we've lived in a lot of states in many different areas or the country--sometimes kind of rural and sometimes citified. We retired to Reno because of its climate, but mostly because of its atmosphere. Any place you choose should have an atmosphere that shouts HOME. It's different for everyone. What besides climate makes you feel at home? Everywhere we were stationed there were quilters; maybe not so many shops, back then most of us depended on catalogues for craft supplies. And almost everywhere there is some kind of sewing store not too far away. Today the internet is a blessing for learning and shopping. As long as you feel "at home." the quilting always seems to be there.