I would say towns in upstate New York such as Rochester.
Pros:
+ Cheaper housing market, affordable rents.
+ Beautiful places, trails, gorgeous state parks, proximity to finger lakes, beaches (actually a big lake -- Lake Ontario).
+ Great arts and music culture scene, good museums, rich history.
+ Good enough local public transport, multiple Amtrak trains to NYC.
+ Close to big cities like Toronto (3hr drive), NYC (1hr flight, 5hr drive).
+ World class universities.
Cons:
- Ridiculous property taxes.
- Gloomy weather and heavy snow.
- Higher than average crime rate.