North Idaho here. Beautiful year round, cities are close enough, good medical, police, and fire, flat pastured farmland or forested or both, your choice, 4 distinct seasons, fairly mild winters, snow yes, but nothing like the northeast, close enough for ocean trips, less traffic, less governmental interference in our living, lower taxes, lower cost of almost everything, salaries & income are lower, but proportionate to cost of living. We're transplants from California, have been here 14 years and will never go back.