Should I Move Back To My Hometown?

You may have mixed feelings about the town you grew up in. For some of us, our hometowns offer nostalgia and close proximity to family and friends. For others, our hometowns are places we were eager to escape after high school.

With the housing market still in a fairly chaotic state, many – especially those originally from small towns – have found themselves moving back to the neighborhoods they grew up in. Could it be a good option for you? Below is a discussion of some of the pros and cons of moving back to your hometown to help you decide where you should live.

Why Do People Live Where They Do?

Why people live where they do depends on the individual – but most people choose their home for a few of the same common reasons. According to a study conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau and Harvard University, nearly 60% of young adults live within 10 miles of their hometown, and nearly 80% live within 100 miles.

With so many people returning to their childhood homes, what’s keeping them there or bringing them back? Let’s take a closer look at both sides of the coin.

Reasons People Move Away From Their Hometown

Why do we move away from the places we grew up? For the Americans who choose to move away and stay away, there are a lot of reasons. For many young adults, though, especially those from small towns, a move to the big city like New York or just a new city in general is often necessary to pursue a higher-paying career opportunity.

Here are a few reasons you might venture out of your comfort zone and move away from your hometown.

To Seek Educational Opportunities

One of the biggest reasons people leave their hometowns, especially in the case of young adults, is to pursue an education. Whether that’s because they’re attending an out-of-state school to follow their major, or simply because they want to experience independence for the first time, there are plenty of perks to seeking educational opportunities outside of your hometown.

Young adults venture all across the country for higher education, but the majority of states see most of their college students come from in-state. According to a recent study by NCES, 27 out of 50 states saw at least 75% of their students enroll as in-state residents. That’s no surprise either, considering how many people have stayed within 100 miles of their roots.

To Seek Career Opportunities

Another common reason for leaving one’s hometown is to seek job opportunities. Some small towns have limited opportunities when it comes to certain industries, encouraging young professionals to migrate. In addition to opportunity, an increase in salary and other employee benefits often serve as the driving motivation for those who choose to relocate for their job.

To Find A Significant Other

There are many fish in the sea, as the saying goes, but some may feel that their hometown shares more in common with a pond.

It’s no secret that there are more people in the big city than there are in small, rural towns – and that can be a deciding factor for people who might want to pursue a more active social life or find a significant other who isn’t a person they already know from their hometown.

Reasons People Consider Moving Back To Their Hometown

There are plenty of reasons why people choose to move away – sometimes far distances – but there are also many reasons why people might choose to move back to the places they grew up. After all, six in 10 of Americans live within 10 miles of their hometown.

Let’s explore a few reasons you might consider coming back to or settling down in your hometown, and consider some thoughts from people who themselves have recently moved to their hometowns.

Proximity To Family And Friends

Being near family and friends can be a huge factor in deciding where you want to live. Many people want to remain close to their parents, siblings or close friends, and prioritize that when deciding where to buy a home. Young adults just starting to have children may benefit from moving home as well – not only will their children be able to grow up around extended family, but they’ll also have family to help take care of them and watch them when needed.

“In a move we never expected to make, my family and I left our home of more than 13 years to relocate to the place where I grew up a few months ago,” says Alexandra Fung, mother of four and CEO of Chicago-based parent-to-parent recommendation website Upparent. “So far, the move has been a wonderful choice for us, as we enjoy so much more time with family than we had before.”

Remote Work

According to NPR, a 2020 survey found that between 14 million and 23 million Americans planned on relocating after gaining the ability to work their jobs remotely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As they’re no longer confined to whatever city their job is in, many Americans have chosen to move home and save money.

Nostalgia For Your Childhood

Many parents want their children to experience the childhood they had and feel inclined to move from the city to the suburbs or a more rural area to make that happen. This can be a great option for new parents since it could give home buyers the opportunity to settle down somewhere familiar with plenty of outdoor space for their children.

Nostalgia can be a double-edged sword, though, so be sure you know what you’re getting into. Your hometown may have changed a bit since the last time you’ve seen it, so giving your children the childhood you had may not be realistic.

Lower Cost Of Living

Unless you grew up in the city or in an area with a particularly high cost of living, it’s typically easier on your wallet to move back to your hometown, given it’s a smaller town or more rural area. Small towns generally have lower costs of living compared to more populated areas. If you’re trying to save more money, moving home could be very beneficial for your wallet. Real estate is often much cheaper in less-populated areas as well.

“Usually, when people move away from their hometown or city, it’s to go to somewhere ‘bigger and better,’ which often means higher housing prices and a busier lifestyle. That was the case for us,” says Dan Morris from Fire and Saw.

“When it came time to have kids, it was nice to go back home where things were a little more stable, relaxed, and a whole lot cheaper to live.”

Should You Move Back To Your Hometown? Tips To Consider

Moving home is a big decision. Being closer to family and friends and saving money may sound great, but you should also consider the reality of the neighborhood. Can you reasonably commute to work from your hometown if you’re not working remotely? Are there good schools? Will you feel comfortable and happy living there?

Here are a few other points you should consider before deciding to relocate back to your hometown.

Treat It Like A Move To An Unknown Destination

If you’re going to move back to your hometown, don’t just assume you already know everything there is to know – treat it as if you’re moving to a brand-new town. Look into the typical cost of a home, consider your commute to work and anything else you’d do for a place you’ve never lived before. Even if you want to move home to be closer to family, it should still make financial sense for you to live there, too.

Consider The Neighborhood

Even though you’re already familiar with it, it’s important to evaluate the neighborhood you’d be moving into. Depending on how long ago you moved away from your hometown, it could be a very different place from what you remember. There might be other things you haven’t considered that you should think about, too – like noise level, property values, etc.

Is there an HOA in your neighborhood? How far is the drive to the nearest grocery store? Things like that probably didn’t impact you much growing up, but as an adult, those are factors that could make or break your decision to purchase a home.

Evaluate The Schools

You may also want to take a hard look at the educational opportunities your hometown school district offers your family. Even if you don’t have children yourself, the quality of the public school system is a major factor for resale, so it’s something you should think about when buying a house.

Think About Cost Of Living

Considering cost of living is important when moving as well. If your job is located in a bigger city and you can work remotely from a smaller town, you could potentially save a lot of money that you would’ve otherwise spent on living expenses.

If you’re unsure whether the cost of living is lower or higher in your hometown than it is in your current home, you can use our cost of living calculator to find out.

Remain Clear-Eyed About All Your Family

If you’re considering moving home to be closer to family, remember that being around family 24/7 may not be exactly what you’re imagining. Try not to romanticize the idea of living near your family – moving to your hometown can be an emotional undertaking and you may need to set boundaries and be clear with family about how often you’ll see each other.

Set Clear Expectations With Friends And Family

If you have children, moving back near your parents might seem convenient because they likely want to see their grandchildren – and you likely need someone to sometimes watch them, too. Win-win, right?

Not always. While this will likely prove a mutually beneficial arrangement all around, your parents probably won’t want to be a 24-hour daycare for your children or baby-sit every single weekend. Before making any assumptions about the role your family members might play in your life once you live closer to them, you should ask them and set clear boundaries and expectations for what all sides are open to.

The Bottom Line: Moving Back To Your Hometown Has Its Pros And Cons

Moving back to your hometown can be a great decision – not only might you save money and get more house for your money, but you can be closer to old friends and family, too. Nostalgia for home can also cloud your judgment, however, so be sure to consider everything realistically before deciding whether you should move back to your hometown.

To learn more about making a move, whether it’s to your hometown or a new city, check out our moving checklist.