My vote is north central Missouri/south central Iowa. Got everything you need there and low population while 3 hours from any major city.
How’s the weather like in these areas? How’s peace and order?
The midwest is good from the perspective of having plenty of water and land that is conducive to farming, but the population density is higher than the NW and what do you use for heating in the winter? The NW on the other hand lacks water in many places, the land is harsh, and there’s a risk of forest fires and earthquakes.
There is no perfect place.
The UP of Michigan. 4.5 hours away from any big city. Very isolated in the Keweenaw. Which is actually an island, only two ways across, by boat or one bridge, or the frozen ice in winter. Plenty of wild life, tons of land, plenty of fresh water. Only minus tons of snow, long winter. The pluses, tons of snow and long winters, keeps the riff raff out ;)
I’d say rural/small town Missouri or Arkansas, OUTSIDE of the major urban areas (except *maybe* Springfield, MO) is about as good as you could ask. Arkansas may be better for weather in winter, but otherwise, both states should be pretty similar in what really counts : Good farm land, lots of lakes and rivers, trees and hills, tons of wild game, excellent gun laws and the resulting attitude in the population re : firearm ownership, hunting, use of a gun in self defense....Stay away from KC or St Louis, and Mo’s looking pretty good. :-) There was an article posted here 2-3 years ago on economic freedom in the USA, and MO was in the top 10. And we went for McCain/Palin, FWIW.