I’m not DL but can comment on a few things you brought up.

Traffic—I have spent a lot of time in SoCal so it wouldn’t occur to me to mention traffic in MSP. Ever since March 2020 there hasn’t been much except for at the rush hours, and even at the rush hours, it’s not as bad as it was pre Covid. Unless you want to work in the CPO and drive to work every day 8-5 I wouldn’t worry too much about traffic.

Real Estate—I can only comment on purchasing homes in the suburbs, but there are some great communities within 30 or so (non-rush hour) minutes of the airport. It’s more expensive than it was pre-Covid, but in upper-middle class MSP suburbs you’re paying around half of what you would for equivalent properties in places like DEN or SLC.

commute— you mentioned commuting SoCal-MSP. I have done the SoCal-MSP commute and it was easy, just long. If you’re commuting SoCal-MSP why not just be based in LAX? (Maybe a short term thing I guess)

Taxes—state income taxes are high but in a lot of the suburbs, property taxes are close to 1%. I have friends in Texas who would very much like 1% property taxes. And in the years we’ve been in the MSP area the state does a good job keeping up with the roads in the winter (looking at you, Illinois)