OK, I'm in Canada, so I can't really contribute much to the discussion (a pet favorite topic of mine up here, though). But I wanted to point out to the reader from RI who wants to be able to swim in the ocean 4 months a year, that unless you're headed to California, you'd better stick to the East Coast. With no Gulf Stream, the Pacific is chilly year-round! (sadly).
On the climate change considerations, I don't know if all states have them, but here each provincial government has online resources that lay out how their research shows how their areas will be affected by climate change. You can see areas expected to flood more often, experience more hurricanes, drought, etc. It can be very enlightening!
Personally, I'm happy in the PNW, just not on low-lying territory (especially below sea-level, reclaimed, dyked areas). Apart from the threat of "big one" earthquakes, and needing to continue to adapt to worsening droughts in the summer, I think this is going to be a good option.
At the risk of being inflammatory, I wouldn't go anywhere near the SW. Climate change or not, there are interstate lawsuits going on NOW over water that no longer exists...check out William Debuys book, "A Great Aridness".