Colorado

But in recent years wildfires and flash floods have diminished my consideration to live there. Absolutely beautiful though, but you better like elk and not be an idiot tourist who thinks they should approach them (a big herd lives nearby and traverses downtown Estes all the time. They are basically protected, but said tourists who get too close may well regret it)

It is NOT inexpensive AT ALL--None of the mountain towns are, thus most of the workers (at the ski resorts in particular, but Estes is a tourist haven too) have to live and commute from distant communities.