If you like having ocean, forest, mountain, lake, and city all within close range, and not paying state income or sales taxes, New Hampshire's coastal cities (Portsmouth, et al) are awesome.
Yes, it gets cold, but you don't have to go out in it if you don't want to. You can go from heated space to heated space pretty easily.
The southeast, especially around interstates 93 and 95 are quite populated. It might not look it sometimes due to lots of trees between homes in the older developments, though.
I work remotely and live in a seaside town in Florida. No state income tax, reasonable housing prices and cost of living, biking, boating fishing, golfing, 12 months a year. Many great options in Florida such as St Augustine, Sarasota, Jupiter, Pensacola.
Yes, it gets cold, but you don't have to go out in it if you don't want to. You can go from heated space to heated space pretty easily.