To be honest, speaking as a transplant, it is really great up here. We moved from Austin and haven't regretted it for a second (and the whole family loved Austin too). Instead of having a miserable summer that lasts from April to October, we have a miserable winter that lasts from November to March. Taxes are about par, government is (imho) quite a bit more sane, the job market is broader and deeper, public schools are better, and the scenery is gorgeous when not hidden by clouds.