If you want to go really small, Pullman WA is exactly what you're asking for. WSU and Schweitzer Engineering are the only shows in town (seriously) and the population is about 10k not including the students. We rented a 2-story, 4 bedroom house with a beautiful view of the entire town and almost 2 acres of lot for $1400/mo.

Wonderful schools, INCREDIBLY safe by any measure in the entire world, and lots of professors and engineer-types who have migrated there and found a home over all these years.

Now, the inevitable downside is that other than Moscow ID (~20k pop, another college town but with a little bit more "community") just over the border, there is nothing nearby. No, really, nothing. The few towns that are smattered about are 1000 people or less. The closest city is Spokane (~150k-ish pop?) and Spokane frankly sucks. Seattle is 5 hours away. If this doesn't bother you, and some snow and ice in the winter is fine, it's a good fit. Of course there is the lowest possible likelihood of finding a local job in software, but it is possible and I'm guessing from your post that this isn't a concern.

But yeah, I would 100% describe it as a low-cost place with a strong intellectual atmosphere.