Where is the best place (other than New York or LA) for a creative person to live?

It is the creativity that is important, not the place. Dick Wick Hall became famous writing jokes in the Arizona desert without even a paved road to his gas station. Sarah Bowman became famous following the army around and washing their laundry.

What you are talking about is called "follow the money" and that might involve some cleverness, but not creativity.