Close to their grandparents? (A friend of mine says their grandparents are always willing to be last-minute babysitters, or help out in case of an unforeseen e

Close to their grandparents? (A friend of mine says their grandparents are always willing to be last-minute babysitters, or help out in case of an unforeseen emergency.) I don't think it's as simple as the place with the best sunsets or the best air quality or any geographic features. Wherever you choose, the cost-of-living will determine a lot of what you can do. (Especially if you're saving for college, or even planning to travel with your family.) And of course, there's the quality of the schools, and who your kids will be hanging out with in their formative years as they're growing up. If you're planning for the next 20 years, you might also want to take climate change into consideration. (If you end up in Arizona, you're almost certainly going to be spending much of your summers indoors....)