[Germanauto]

OP you're not really helping lol. We need to know your hobbies, lifestyle, desired cost of living, etc. Do you have a family or plan to in the future? You'd need to consider the major nearby universities then.

Personally, I think the best place to live in the U.S. is California, most notably San Diego. California has the best mix of everything: good weather, lots of entertainment options, lots of outdoorsy stuff, etc. There's something for everyone and you'll rarely get bored. The flip side? Cost of living is through the roof, most notably real estate and income taxes.

Florida, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, Austin, etc. are alternative options as they are much cheaper places to live and also have warm weather, but they aren't nearly as beautiful or have as many things to do. With that being said, none are "bad" per say, just kind of average.

The mid-atlantic is the most populated part of the country from a density standpoint. Boston, D.C., NYC, Philly, Baltimore, etc. all have things to offer and have reasonable real estate pricing compared to the west coast (save for NYC). There's tons to do but you'll have to deal with the typical hot and humid summers and nail biting cold in the winters. Also, the infrastructure is super worn out and the culture is more uptight rather than lax like the other side of the country.

If you really truly love the outdoors then Seattle and Denver are worth looking into. As expensive as Seattle has become, it's still cheaper than anywhere in California. Downside? 8+ months of drizzle and gloom. I couldn't stand it and don't miss that shyt one bit.

I'd probably skip the Chicago area. It's good but the weather and high taxes leave it really offering nothing other places don't already have.