Minnesota is the best.  The taxes are a bit higher, but the quality of life is so great that it's totally worth it.  Some of the best educated people with the a high literacy rate, the fittest city in the nation (Minneapolis), and the third fittest state overall.  Plus we have a two billion dollar surplus, one of the only states to have any surplus at all.  You can attribute that to lots of parks, greenspace, bike and hiking trails, the boundary waters, and great schools.  I'm originally from Wisco, but moved here eight years ago for college and never left.  It's good to be a Minnesotan. :)