Check out northern New England (Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine). Land and housing prices are relatively low. The climate is like Scandinavia. Schools are good and there is an active cultural life even in rural areas. Major crime is rare, no earthquakes or tornadoes, only a few winter storms that shut everything down for a few days. The area I live in is populated by artists, writers, academics and farmers. Unlike Europe, an automobile is a necessity here; no public transportation worth mentioning.