What's the problem with cold winters? Unless it is below 0 F (or say, 20 F) or something, you can still get around. It is quite rare that you have such long str

What's the problem with cold winters? Unless it is below 0 F (or say, 20 F) or something, you can still get around. It is quite rare that you have such long streaks of sub-zero temperatures. Go out and learn to XC ski, snow-shoe, or just dress appropriately if all you are interested in is walking the streets. Many people I know in the mid-west bike even through winters. Some dedicated folks even bike several miles to commute even on the coldest days of winter. Besides, there are many good universities and large and small companies in the mid-west, in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. These states put together have about 1/3rd of all the Fortune 500 companies, to give you an idea of the economic activity. So the comparison with ranches and deserts doesn't hold. That said, traffic isn't universally great in the mid-west. Chicago is a notable exception, but then you have plenty of public transport facilities in Chicago as alternatives to driving around.