Originally Posted by
ScatterX
It's really too hard to answer this question. Assuming you have no interest in the city you live in, a major hub would be best. If I was living in the airport and oblivious to the town it was in, I'd pick ORD. You can get anywhere from there.
Given that you are renting and only want to travel, why not pick more than one place? Live for a while in NY and fly TATL. Then live near LAX/SFO and fly TPAC. If you are going to RTW, then it really doesn't matter. You leave anywhere, travel your brains out, and return anywhere. It really doesn't matter for cost or convenience.
If it we're me and traveling is far more important (but not the only consideration), I'd pick a city that I most wanted to live in, even if I lived in a cheap rental near the airport. As MRE suggested, COS is a pretty nice place. DEN would be great too. Either is easy to travel from.
ScatterX
There's not much question that a hub is the only answer, ORD seems like it, even with the WX.
I thought about a suite at the Dulles Marriott or the like, but I can't shed every last thing I own, so need some place to come back to.
I did a DEN-ABQ leg on UAX last year, Christ, I never walked so far in one airport than mainline UA to UAX at DEN. It was a rare day when my lower back was giving me trouble, and I wasn't sure I could even do it. No UAX for me, at least at DEN.