iwould have to say tahoe.  you can live in truckee and get decent jobs that dont have to be based on the ski resorts plenty of industry in trukee and your from 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours away from, Squaw, northstar, boreal, alpine meadows, Mt rose,  Heavenly, Sierra, and my favorite place in the country Kirkwood.  not to mention your only about 3.5 hours from mammoth as well.  and unlike SLC you can actually drink real beer, oh yeah and you can gamble too.