I've lived quite a few cool places in the US, eg, Austin, DC, and San Diego. I'd say without a doubt Austin is the best. It's young, vibrant, "weird," and an all-around good time. If you are into live music, it's one of the best places in the States.
The only downside I can find is that people are sometimes obnoxious about being *from* Austin, but then again, you get that in most popular US cities
