We find ourselves looking for a vehicle. My wife likes our current Durango, and doesn't like the newer ones. I get tired of hearing how ugly the newer ones are.
It doesn't help that the 04-08ish versions are worst rusty than most 98-03s like we're looking for.
I just went to scottsburg Indiana yesterday about 4 hours one way to look at one that appeared very nice and clean, only to get down there and find holes in the frame and the driver front body mount detached from the rest of the body thanks to rust, I came home empty. I did stop and look at one that was on our list in Indy on the way back, the frame and under body was better but the rockers were non existent when I opened the doors.
These were worse than the ones that I have looked at in the south suburbs of Chicago. (Yes I've seen worse yet pix of others closer, but obviously didn't waste my time asking about those)

It's definitely making it more worthwhile to fix the trans in our current 01, even with 314k on it, my son came out and helped me steady the existing trans on a jack and transfer it into the back of my truck, he's been with me to see the ones I've gone to look at, and couldn't get over how much cleaner mine is underneath than any we have gone to see....

If you go too far, then you have coastal rust. Cars anywhere near the coast rot from the top down.

I've seen the roof skin from a '90's Dodge truck blow off going down the freeway due to drip rail rot.......

Going south may get out of the salt but not the humidity. All that moisture eating away at the metal all of the time, 24/7, 365. Then as stated you get to the coast. Some of the worst cars we've seen came from Florida.
Gotta go west for clean metal.

While I've already told the wife that we're gonna go for better looking, cleaner and "deal with" mechanical stuff vs a mechanically dependable rust bucket. But being as how I'm dealing with a dead transmission on the current one I'm not really wanting a ,2nd one sitting here in line with similar issues.
There is one in KY that claims to need an engine or head gaskets. Which is a bigger headache at the moment than the trans I'm currently messing with.
I have an older Dakota that is typically Illinois crusty that will probably go away once I find what I'm looking for and both it and our current one are road ready.

El Paso Texas but without dark tinted glass the interiors take the beating.

Driest areas I've been are Nevada desert, much of NM, West Texas, and much of AZ, as well as non-coastal SoCal.
There may be parts of the Southeast where rust isn't a problem, but I've found most of it to be humid.
Rust isn't the only issue though: electronics is another deal, and there's no real support except aftermarket, which I've found to be iffy.

Several years ago. I looked at a 67 Hemi GTX . in the Jacksonville Fl area

That car had rust, heavy rust in areas Id never seen before.

Describes AZ cars to a T

X2 on the southwest. Nevada, inland California, Arizona, west Texas, southern Colorado and New Mexico are all decent, but the sun cooks the interior pieces. My Fury was originally a Nevada & Bakersfield area car and I'm continually impressed with how easy everything comes apart. It never saw salt or much rain so it's very nice underneath Like everyone mentioned, the southeast has humidity even though they don't salt, and anything in the southeast along the gulf coast or the Atlantic will be rusty from the top town. Same goes for coastal California.

hmm, my 51 Plymouth is virtually rust free and I am talking west TX rust not yankee rust. Bought it in Dalhart, TX.

Though finding a Dakota out here might be a trick, not a popular choice in these parts.

I've tried to tell people Florida is rough on cars. High humidity plus lots of strong driving rains is a recipe for rust. The lowest points, e.g. trunk and floors and wherever the body holds water then around lips and molding from humidity.

I've learned to just find the best car available and have it shipped. I've shipped 11 cars and only been sort of burned once (hidden rust) and learned from it. Arizona, Texas, Southern California are great.

Desert areas and any place that does not use road salt. The trade off is the dry state cars will typically have baked clear coat and dried out interiors.

Older Durangos are still around here for not a lot of money, but most have lots of miles on them. Could always buy one with a nice body and put a new motor in it.

I was considering that. Theres another Im looking at via Marketplace in KY that needs just taht and claims "no rust"
The one we have now (and keeping!) is an o1 that came from Louisana 10 years ago, I got it 3 months after it hit the Chicago burbs, before it had ever had a chance to see salt. and its still nicer than any of the others I have looked at Im looking to replace an even older Dakota that looks like a typical early to mid 90s Chicago area vehicle (or at least the few that are still rolling around here)

Back in the 90's there was a local guy that would bring back full car carrier loads of rust free AZ rollers, none of them even had titles. He advertised it as just put the drivetrain and interior from yours into one of them. I am sure a few ended up with new VINs. Darts, Satellites, dusters, etc

West coast, ie. Oregon.

Ask for pictures of the known trouble areas for rust and once you're happy, roll the dice.

I've seen some Oregon and Washington plated vehicles show up here that had rust all around the wheel well lips. I think that would be from the coastal areas that get frequent rain. I know when I lived in Oregon it rained almost every day for months during the winter. Sunshine? What is that?

Eastern Oregon is just like Southern Idaho, which is all high desert. Any vehicle from that area would be rust free more often than not.

Northern Nevada and Utah away from SLC are good places for no rust vehicles also.

Yep. My mostly rust free D250 has that.

Interior replacement is a weekend project. Not so much for frame repair.

In '15 I bought my '05 Magnum in Atlanta GA. with 50K mi...it was like new with regard to rust and corrosion. Bought my '01 Ram 3500 in '12 from SC adn it was the same condition (a bunch of miles though) Still drive both to day Magnum has 200K and Ram has 250K. Would dot have been possible as if original NY cars... recent >1yr) pics of both

Make sure you oil spray them each fall and they'll last forever. Unless you're driving a new leased car, oil spraying is mandatory in the north east.