Thanks everyone; I'm enjoying reading your replies and learning. Anyone else, please add to the conversation. I'm also finding it very interesting as to how many of the suggestions here I have looked into before, and some areas mentioned I have lived in.
I have looked into SW PA (Bedford area) where I hunted as a kid, but the fracking situation all around the state has me unsettled. I lived in another SW PA area (Westmoreland Co) and maybe it was just coincidence, but as soon as fracking moved in, I had an incident where my well water went jet black. Have lived in a lot of homes with wells all over, and never saw this before. Even without the water situation, my Mum's old home was about 80 miles north in rural Beaver Co, and fracking has really changed the area... Lots of very heavy loud trucks, a mess of new pipelines, great areas I used to hunt all cut up with drill rigs, waste water issues, ect.
As for my mention of crazy AZ heat, I did refer to areas known for it, and I know well about Flagstaff and such, but man are prices for housing crazy, same with Moab UT (love that place), and it seems much of the West. My brother has lived in Gilbert for the last 30 years, and from what he tells me a lot of AZ is becoming very pricey, and I think it may be the No 1 moved to state this year, and its politics are changing. Yeah, I think the cooler, snowy areas of AZ are very nice, but when I see double-wide trailers going for way over $300k, I simply can't, won't do it. I know it's all relative, just not for me.
Nice to see folks from MI chiming in. I have a friend from Kalamazoo who has actively tried to get me to be MI newest resident! Going in I know you folks have the highest cost of vehicle insurance in the US, but other things are less. I have read of a W. MI coastal saying "If you ain't Dutch, you ain't much", but I suppose that unwelcoming feeling is limited. I wonder how legal cannabis will change your state? I really don't care what folks do in their own homes as long as it does not hurt me/cost me $$$/infringe on my rights, so it will be interesting to see.
A huge issue I always look at first is healthcare, and I'm on Obama care... Was not so bad 6 years ago when I retired; now it is really starting to hurt even here where it's cost is a lot better than other places. I'm talking the same plans premium going up 100% IN ONE YEAR, with identical income numbers, and more out of pocket/deductibles! It is absolutely crazy.
Thanks again, and look forward to continued input.