Hi Allen,
I am probably one of the last people to advise on where to live in the US since I have lived in Japan for the last 30+ years. However, I have looked a great deal. My Father was a farmer in Duchess county, New York and I was raised in West Virginia and Kingston, NY.
He and his bride used to travel to Asheville, NC for the winters. Personally, I like VA. I think you need a place that is close to universities. They usually have lots of activities for people other than students. Also, universities also have medical schools which usually means that your local quality of health care will be pretty good.
However, ultimately, I think you need to find a place with people you can be friends with. Without community most places lose their appeal pretty quickly. Choose carefully.