NC have my vote.
Because it's has a low cost of living and affordable, and the people are friendly, it is kinda slow pace and not chaotic and hectic. Research Triangle Park is one of the center for tech businesses around here. Then they have Duke, Rex, and Wake Med are three of the big hospitals around. Then, NC State, UNC Chapel Hill, and Duke universities are in close proximity. Plus Wake Tech Comm College-- very affordable and popular vocational college around here.
You can enjoy 4 seasons of the year. Kinda nice to see and feel the weather changing every now and then, and if you live in Raleigh, NC -- they have plenty of great restaurants and bars in downtown, plus an Amphitheater where you go see concerns on the weekends or drive 3 hours to the beach or the mountain and enjoy the scenery. They also have Jordan, Kerr, and Falls lakes where you can take your kids fishing, canoeing, and camping.
I'm not advertising or anything. I live in Raleigh and I like what they have here. It's just convenient and relaxing all around. Plus the job market is pretty good here too, so as the housing.