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I will try to give the most honest opinion of both places based on what I have experienced, although I've never lived in NE, but would like to debunk some myths about AZ (I'll let someone else touch on NM).
Location: Tie. They are two of my favorite places. Location to me is irrelevant due to the ability to hop on a plane and be someplace completely different within hours.
Topography/Landscapes: This is really a personal preference based on each individual as these are two of my favorite places. Ultimately, I pick the Southwest. While NE has four seasons and a closer proximity to the ocean, you can drive from the desert in Phoenix to:
Recreation - Tie. Lots of things to do in both of these places, including enjoying professional sports (although Boston probably gets points for better fans).
Climate - Tie. I enjoy four seasons. While I don't get to enjoy them in Phoenix, I still can in AZ.
Pace of Life/Vibe/Energy - Tie. Depends on how you define your pace of life. If we're speaking about more urban city centers, then NE wins via Boston. However, even though the West/Southwest has a more laid-back feeling, the Southwest is no slouch when it comes to nightlife/shopping/dining...there's Las Vegas and Scottsdale.
Architecture - Tie. I love Boston brownstones and rowhouses...love, love, love. There are also some very, very beautiful homes here butt up against mountains and desert landscape.
Food - Tie. You can find excellent options in both places (not everything is a chain restaurant), as well as wonderful seafood in the NE and excellent Sonoran, New Mexican and Southwestern cuisine in the SW.
Urban/Suburban areas - Tie. Boston has a more dense/livelier urban center, but still sprawls. Phoenix has less of an urban center, but multiple centers (Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale) and its overall urban area is more dense. Outside of their regions, people in NE perhaps spend more time in places like NY, DC, Montreal (one of my favorites) while people in the SW spend more time on the West Coast and Mexico. In addition, NE is closer proximity to Europe and the SW is closer proximity to Mexico/Hawaii/Asia. I don't find that too relevant as we have a hub airport here.
Culture/Diversity - Tie. Both regions offer some great culture, although the SW may be a little more diverse. There is some great American history and culture in NE. At the same time, AZ has its history outside of the Jesuit missionaries who visited in the 1600's, with history dating back farther through Paleo-Indian and Hohokam ruins and other archeological excavations, etc:
Culture/Diversity - Tie. Both regions offer some great culture, although the SW may be a little more diverse. There is some great American history and culture in NE. At the same time, AZ has its history outside of the Jesuit missionaries who visited in the 1600's, with history dating back farther through Paleo-Indian and Hohokam ruins and other archeological excavations,
You might be suprised to know that Boston has a white population of only 48%. There are also many new immigrants from other countries and the southern areas especially have a lot of diversity even outside of Boston. Also our nation was born in Boston and New England in general. The region also has the highest concentration in of colleges and universities in the country.
Me personally, I LOVE being outside. I love hiking, camping, kayaking, and just being in the woods and near rivers and lakes. I've lived in the Southwest for a few years now and I miss the Northeast like crazy. The summer is too hot to enjoy being outside- it is DEATHLY hot. The fall and winter are nice but if you like snow, like I do, you're outta luck. Spring is okay temperature-wise but the wind and bugs are so insane, it's not at all enjoyable to be outside.
The other thing is that, while forests and lakes may exist in the Southwest, it takes an extremely long time to get to them (and the lakes are usually just reservoirs that are crowded and loud because it's the only lake around). For example, the closest lake to where I live is 3 hours away. In the Northeast, the closest lake was 10 minutes from my house, and there were plenty of others nearby (and you could pick between motor-free lakes or not). The closest forest for hiking and camping is 2 hours away. In the Northeast, I could walk to the woods from my house or drive 5 minutes to a trail head and start hiking.
Another thing that's a big deal for me is the lack of variety with places to eat. I don't go out to eat all that often but it's nice to have different options when you want to. In the Southwest there are Mexican restaurants, maybe a Chinese restaurant, fast food, Denny's, and IHOP. That's it. If you want Italian or Greek or even just a place that serves decent Anglo food, forget it.
This is all just personal preference and I'm just focusing on the outdoors and food aspects but considering everything else (convenience, quality of life, architecture, etc.), I think New England wins.
Topography/Landscapes -- I'm a photographer and there is no place in the US that can beat New Mexico and Arizona
Recreation -- Outdoor recreation is outstanding. People from New England come to the SW for recreation.
Climate -- Arizona is hot much of the year but the higher elevations and high desert areas have an almost perfect climate. New Mexico has a near perfect four season climate..
Pace of life/Vibe/energy -- I prefer the laid back lifestyle of the SW
Architecture -- I think both places have unique architecture.
Food -- It depends on what you like. New Mexico has a very interesting local cuisine. SW cities have varied food choices. New England has its own flavors. I'd go there for fish or lobster.
Urban and Suburban Areas -- New England is more densely populated and has more of an urban feel. Urban areas blend together. New Mexico is the 5th largest state but only 2 million people...lots of open space. Much of Arizona and Nevada is also open space. Phoenix has suburbs out the wazoo.
Culture/Diversity -- Cultural diversity is strong but different in both places. I have three neighbors where I live in northern NM...one from CT, one from PA, and one from NY. Many people are transplants in the SW and they tend to bring some culture with them. There is still a strong Spanish and Indian culture. New England has a diverse European and African culture.
I moved to the SW four years ago from the Midwest and fell in love with the desert and the culture in NM.
I would define the southwest as going from West Texas to Nevada. I would also consider far south Utah (like St George) as more part of the southwest than anything else.
Even if you don't count South Utah, I prefer the southwest to New England although I do like both places.
I'm not a fan of the summers, but the lack of humidity makes it easier for me to bare. I'd take 102 with no humidity over humidity and 88, but that's just me.
Not all of the southwest is incredibly hot year round as some have suggested. Look at Prescott for example.
There is also more variety scenery wise than I think it is given credit for. The Grand Canyon looks pretty different from Flagstaff or the Santa Fe National Forest.
There is a much wider variety of climates in the southwest than the North East. Even the Skiing is better in the Southwest.
Of course the whole west is a lot drier than New England and they don't have a coast line, but you could just as easily say all of the east is green and trees and that is boring. (not that I think it is, but for the sake of argument)
It doesn't fall into the southwest, since people usually consider it to be more like a West Coast/Pacific state. Though you might be able to loosely argue that some parts may have more of a southwest feel, such as Death Valley National Park or Blythe, CA?
As for the main part of this topic's question, I think I'd say the southwest. Especially since I could pick a less humid part of it to live in, i.e. Flagstaff, AZ, Prescott, AZ, Albuquerque, NM, or Denver, CO. Or anywhere else in Colorado, as well! Maybe Utah, if I could get over how very restrictive the alcohol laws were? Like say in Moab, UT, or Saint George, UT. I'm still not sure if I'd want to live in Salt Lake City, but maybe that area is nicer than I think it is? And that the Mormon influence in SLC, isn't as bad as I fear it is? I'm increasingly becoming less tolerant of cold weather as I get older, as well. Since I grew up in Chicago, and at least in Colorado I would see snow sometimes. Maybe also it snows in northern New Mexico, such as Taos?
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New England, For Sure
