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I'm happy to see Minnesota on your list! True, Minneapolis proper can be expensive, but you might like some of the outer suburbs or other MN cities like Duluth, Mankato, St. Cloud. If you would consider an even smaller town, the sky is the limit here and in many I don't think you could find a $950 rental if you tried.
Minneapolis expensive? Not moreso than any icelandic city. I own a house with a big yard, garage, etc. and pay $820/month. It's a small house but comfy. The only reason my payment is so high is because I rolled a $26,000 student loan into my refinance. Rents are very reasonable here. The winter deletes a lot of unwanted things like bugs, thugs, etc. but you have to really enjoy cold weather. I've been here 30 years and looking to move because I can't take it any more but then I get cold when it's below 55 degrees. If it weren't for winter, I wouldn't consider moving. Everything else about Minneapolis is very cool.
What are nice towns in the U.S to sort of start over?
I'm not looking for a club scene, or a place that is popular and has more tourists then residents. Yet nothing too middle of nowhere. Nothing materialistic like California and nothing southern or has only 2 seasons.
A nice place to raise a family with nice affordable homes. Where I can find a 2 bedroom apartment for under $950 a month. My biggest concern is crime. Where I live now (lower wisconsin), the crime is getting out of hand. Its sort of like a used to be safe now getting sort of worrysome sort of thing.
I know there are places like it, I'm just having a hard time finding it.
I have been considering
Utah (Salt Lake area)
Colorado (Colorado Springs or Fort Collins Area)
Idaho (Boise or Idaho Falls)
Minnesota (Minneapolis but too expensive)
Do any of you live in these places? What do you like and not like about them?
THANKS!
I think Utah would be your best bet out of the ones you listed.
After that Minnesota,Colorado,THEN Idaho.
No crime + cheap + lots of good jobs + perfect weather + not isolated + perfect schools = Does Not Exist
Feel free to take SassyGirl's advice and peruse the various state threads. For every person who loves one place, someone else will think the same spot stinks. It's all in how willing you are to accommodate, so . . .
. . . . Why not find somewhere that's reasonably tolerable and just get on with your life? Maybe make a rank ordered list of what you consider important and try to check off as many as you can, but don't expect that you won't have to compromise somewhere along the way . . .
By the way, I've lived in one of your 4 choices and visited the other 3 multiple times (actually considered relocating to 2 of them). Guess what: none of them are utopia.
Good luck.
PS: Compared to some places I've lived, lower Wisconsin looks pretty darn good . . .
I agree with Vagus. Nobody can tell you where the perfect place to live is unless YOU live there and find out for yourself. Before I moved to Idaho, I was asking the same questions many people ask on this board..."Is Idaho a good place to live?" Some ppl told me yes and some ppl told me no. I decided that I had to find out for myself what is was really like. Well, I did find out and now i'm moving back to my home state, California. Everyone has their own taste in lifestyle and what they need in their environment. Idaho fit none of my requirements. You can't get everything you want in one state or area. You will always have to compromise something. I think thats why Vagus used the term 'dreamer' because those who think they can get everything they need and want are living in a fantasy world.
I have relocated to Boise from New England and love it here. It is a vibrant, clean, smaller city, very progressive and a lot of people describe Boise as a rather sophisticated yet laid back and relaxed city. There is a lot of civic pride here--a lot, the arts and mountain biking are important The city parks are gorgeous. The outdoor activities are limitless as there are so many places in nature to explore in the area and Idaho. I don't know much about Utah, our neighbor, but I do know a lot of people who much prefer Idaho and Boise over Utah and Salt Lake.
But if you are interested in Boise, do some research. This is one of those cities that will always prosper and be attractive.
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The city parks are gorgeous. The outdoor activities are limitless as there are so many places in nature to explore in the area and Idaho. I don't know much about Utah, our neighbor, but I do know a lot of people who much prefer Idaho and Boise over Utah and Salt Lake. 
