What are you flying goals? Want the quickest upgrade? Want to be off reserve quicker? So many facets to choosing a base.

MIA and IAH, you'll be on FO reserve for more than a year, and that's after you're based anywhere else for 6 months or more on initial award. Then, if you want to upgrade, it's going to take many more years to get even the most junior upgrade in either. I know the most junior upgrade just awarded in MIA is a late 2016 hire, and he'll expect to be on reserve better part of a year until he's able to get a composite more than likely. I know IAH is very senior on the both sides of the aisle as well, so I'm assuming the situation is much of the same. I wouldn't even think twice about ORD at YX.

If you're really a free agent in life, I'd say your best bet at a reasonable cost of living, fast advancement, and good QOL appears to be BOS right now. It's gone junior, and the company says it will be a lot of day trips aka home every night, which is the feather in the cap of QOL. But that's right now...it hasn't even opened yet so a lot can change over time. Any NY airport is always going to move quickly and have some of the most junior upgrades. The outstations obviously have cheap cost of living, but IND is Mecca around here, so it moves a bit slower than an outstation farther from the sun. PIT goes junior on FO side, but senior on CA side. CMH is probably the best bet for outstation balance. And while living in a small market is attractive for some, it isn't for others, so that's up to you. Whatever the case may be, it sounds like you're willing to make a move for QOL, and that's already a huge bonus vs commuting.