Our taxes, political status, and many other things, are considered very similar to those in New England. With one glaring exception - we don't have any decent universities here.
and to add to #2 @Todd Mecklem's defense-of-nodak, they also have a ton of oil money, a really progressive state bank system that Steve Novick has wanted to bring to Oregon, and a burgeoning wind turbine scene.
Or Fortune 500 corporations. Or major industries. Or major tourist attractions.