northern MN is amazing! My wife and I have looked at moving upto the ely area,but finding jobs is definately the trick.

the problem is that most businesses up there are small family owned and operated, and the ones that do hire outside employees, are very often closed for the winter, things just slow down so much then, northeastern MN is a completely different place in the wintera lot of roads even close down for the season...so there isnt much for career oportunities up there. the cost of living is remarkably low though. great deals on houses up there.
Another big plus is that the area will never be overly developed because you are surrounded by millions upon millions of acres of national and state forests, state parks, and of course, the boundry waters canoe area... you also have acess to amazing fishing with all the lakes, in the surrounding area, including lake vermilion, one of the best in the state. and of course access to thenorth shore of superiorand the riversgoing into itand all the trout and salmon fishing that go along with that... of course the hunting is great as well... one of the coolest things for me though, is being camped in the middle of the wilderness, and getting a pack of wolves to howl back at you...