Honestly it would be crazy to move to rural northern MN as a retiree. The weather isn't the biggest issue, its everything else. Its an economically depressed area with few amenities, and is rapidly depopulating. Do you want to drive 90 minutes to get to a doctor in your old age? Do you want to see a new doctor every visit, because all the doctors are foreigners on J-1 visas and leave as soon as they've fulfilled their agreement? Do you want to deal with limited internet and mobile service? Bad grocery options with prices that are 4x higher than in NC? Drive 4-7 hours to Minneapolis to get a flight? Are you ready to never see your kids, friends and siblings again? They will never visit. On the positive side you can get a house for next to nothing because nobody wants to live up there. The 2700 sq foot house I grew up in is for sale for 50 grand on Zillow and a person could probably get it for 20 grand.