I'll just list a few things as selling points: 1) Very low crime. 2) Generally less restrictive laws. 3) Pristine nature is always nearby. 4) Not much traffic. 5) Cops tend to mind their own business here. I'm not bothered by the police nearly as much as I was in Cali.

That's a few things off the the top of my head. Now some downsides: 1) Culture (art, music, etc) are generally less available. 2) There aren't as many conveniences. 3) You pretty much have to drive everywhere in rural areas. 4) Towns aren't very well planned, I rarely see any bike lanes or pedestrian oriented areas.