Wisconsin, Idaho, and Georgia may not sound like paradise. But maybe you just haven't looked
County population: 40,908 (up 54% since 1990)
Drive to Seattle: 5 hours, 30 minutes
Median house price: $220,000 (up 81% since 2002)
Your Own Private Idaho
It might sound like the middle of nowhere, but this funky community in the Idaho panhandle pretty much has it all. Sitting on the shores of picturesque Lake Pend Oreille, the town is just 12 miles away from the Schweitzer Mountain ski resort. Attracted by the low-altitude, small-town atmosphere and affordable real estate prices, retirees from all over the West are moving to Sandpoint, which also hosts numerous art galleries and this year inaugurates the Idaho Panhandle International Film Festival.