How far did you move from where you grew up?

[MU82]

According to a new study by the Census Bureau and Harvard that was released today ...

By age 26, more than two-thirds of young adults in the U.S. lived in the same area where they grew up ... 80% had moved less than 100 miles away ... and 90% resided less than 500 miles away.

https://apnews.com/article/census-2020-young-adult-migration-5b7c7f534278cb15cdc699eb132f0a78

A snippet from the study:

Three quarters of people who grew up in the Chicago area stayed there. Rockford was the top destination for people who moved away and stayed in Illinois but only represented less than 1% of the young adults from Chicago.

[ATL MU Warrior]

According to a new study by the Census Bureau and Harvard that was released today ...

By age 26, more than two-thirds of young adults in the U.S. lived in the same area where they grew up ... 80% had moved less than 100 miles away ... and 90% resided less than 500 miles away.

https://apnews.com/article/census-2020-young-adult-migration-5b7c7f534278cb15cdc699eb132f0a78

A snippet from the study:

Three quarters of people who grew up in the Chicago area stayed there. Rockford was the top destination for people who moved away and stayed in Illinois but only represented less than 1% of the young adults from Chicago.

I grew up in a small town outside of Omaha.  From there to the places I have lived after leaving:
-Milwaukee - 538 miles
-Miami - 1,687 miles
-Atlanta - 1,022 miles

Unlikely I ever live anywhere closer than where I am now.

[MU82]

I grew up in a small town outside of Omaha.  From there to the places I have lived after leaving:
-Milwaukee - 538 miles
-Miami - 1,687 miles
-Atlanta - 1,022 miles

Unlikely I ever live anywhere closer than where I am now.

Nice. Three pretty fun areas IMHO.

I grew up in Connecticut, between Bridgeport and New Haven, about a mile from the Long Island Sound. Moved to Milwaukee (947 miles) for college and only went back for vacations. At about the same time I moved to Minneapolis (1264 miles) when I was 24 years old, my parents moved to Florida. I think I've only been back to Connecticut 4 or 5 times since, as my brothers moved away, too. Also lived in Madison (1,000 miles), Chicago (860 miles) and now Charlotte (700 miles).

I actually liked growing up in Connecticut and really miss the ocean. But as many of us know, life can take a person in all kinds of directions.

[PointWarrior]

Left hometown after high school, for 28 years I lived with 250 miles of my hometown. Past 5 years, it's been 1,870 miles away. I don't think I will get any closer now..

[pbiflyer]

Now, I live 12 miles from where I grew up.
But in the interim, I went to college (Milwaukee) 1203 miles away, went home, then moved to the Los Angeles area, 2300 miles, then Hawaii 4850 miles away, before returning home. Throw in a 6 month gig in Anchorage, 3950 miles between my move from SoCal to Hawaii.

[dgies9156]

About 45 years ago, my then girlfriend and I were talking about futures and where we wanted to go after our Marquette graduation.

"So where do you want to live," she asked.

"I want to go home," I said....

"Back to Nashville," was her questioning response.

"Oh hell no," I said. "I want to go back to Chicago..."

To say the least she was shocked, until I explained my fascination with the city and the fact we lived there when I was a very small child.

40 years ago, we made it back, after we had been married a few years. In the next few weeks, we will sell our house here and have but a home on Florida's Treasure Coast. It's rather hard to leave because, despite the winters, our careers flourished, we raised our family here and we have been in the same home for 28 years. We did it with no family here (all had left by the time we got here) and friends scattered all over everywhere.

I'll concede I don't think she was fully comfortable here. But Chicago's economic opportunity was unparalleled and was one of three US Cities where our careers would be accommodated.

I get why people come home -- its something that pulls them back over and over again. You gotta feel comfortable where you live and Chicago has truly been home for me. I've had great offers to move to both coasts and the answer always was, "no." We expect the Treasure Coast will be the same.

Candidly, my hope is that college couple today having the same conversation we did 45 years ago will have an economic, social and political climate that's that enough for them to say, as we ultimately did, Choose Chicago!

[StillAWarrior]

For the last 31 years I've lived approximately 1,425 miles from where I grew up. Just before my senior year of high school my parents and I moved about 6,600 miles. Marquette was about 1,125 miles from where I grew up. On the other extreme, we live just under three miles from my wife's childhood home.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I grew up in multiple places but I consider Milwaukee to be my hometown since that's where I spent the first 9 years of my life. Since then I have lived:

Seattle, WA (2,016 miles)
St. Paul, MN (332 miles)
Milwaukee, WI (0 miles)
Grand Rapids, MI (269 miles)
Salt Lake City, UT (1,441 miles)
College Station, TX (1,132 miles)

[Scoop Snoop]

I grew up in the Chicago suburb of Riverside and have lived in Virginia since I was 30. Richmond and where I live now in West central VA is 800+ miles away. I fell in love with Richmond and found it to be just the right size to become completely familiar with all its nooks and crannies. Today's country living suits me though. Being within fairly easy driving distance to DC allows me to go on an annual Marquette game.

[NCMUFan]

Grew up in Kenosha.
Upon Marquette graduation lived in the Twin Cities, MN metro, Detroit metro and now Piedmont area of North Carolina.
I appreciate the Wisconsin upbringing and Marquette education, but being in NC 20+ years, and marrying a woman from NC, this is now home.

[MU82]

I appreciate those who have responded. It's interesting to hear where people went after "growing up," and comparing that to the results of the Census Bureau/Harvard findings.

I wouldn't be surprised if college graduates, in general, are more likely to end up farther from "home" -- especially those who attended a college that wasn't especially close to where they grew up.

I've enjoyed each of the places I've lived as an adult -- Milwaukee, Madison, Minneapolis, Chicago and Charlotte. Each had pluses and minuses, as does every area.

dgies:

I loved living on Chicago's North Side so much, and talked about it so positively during most of our 16 years there, that my wife used to joke that I should have been on the Chamber of Commerce. But eventually, we were looking for a break from the weather, the traffic and the in-your-face politics, and we've liked Charlotte too. We still have a son, DIL and grandkids who live in Chicago, though, so it's possible we could move back someday ... and I think I'd love it again. I told my wife that I'd only agree to such a move if we wintered in AZ, Fla, Hawaii or somewhere else I could display my mediocre golf game in January!

[brewcity77]

I currently live 30 miles away from where I grew up. I briefly lived 1,248 miles away from my childhood home, but I knew that was going to be short term (about 3 summer months). We might end up leaving after I retire, but a lot will come down to price and climate. We've discussed Arizona, Oregon, Canada, and Germany all as options.

[swoopem]

Born in Chicago, family moved to Akron, Oh, Philly, DC, and then settled in the Detroit area when I was 10. Went to MU and then lived in Holland, MI for 10 months before moving to Chicago for 4 years. Moved back to Detroit 8 years ago and live probably 7 miles from my childhood home…which my parents moved out of to retire on the lake house in western Michigan

[tower912]

I live 50 miles from where I spent most of my childhood.

[TallTitan34]

5.91 miles from where I grew up.

[lawdog77]

Born near Pittsburgh, First 10 years in Beverly(Chicago), moved to da Region (Northern Indiana) through Highschool. After Marquette, one year travelling everywhere. Law School in Indianapolis, and aside from a 6 month stint in Scottsdale, lived in Indy for the past 30 years (140 miles from what I consider home).

[JWags85]

I think a TON is dependent on the years between 18 and 25.  If you're still living where you grew up, for a significant portion of time during those years, chances are you won't leave.

I grew up in a nice Milwaukee burb at the kind of HS with 98% college admittance and flinging kids to schools all across the country.  But it was interesting to see on FB the number of kids who flamed out at whatever school they were at and ended back at a school in the Milwaukee area, or transferred back from home sickness or whatnot.  Those kids, or those that moved back for a job in Milwaukee after, all inevitably end up staying.  I can only recall 2-3 people Ive ran into or seen who moved elsewhere after college and ended up back here.

As for me, I'm the pseudo exception.  Born in Indy, but my Milwaukee and Sheboygan born parents brought me back to the MKE burbs before I turned 3.  Lived in the burbs till I went to college.  Then I moved to Oxford, OH for school (305 miles), then to Chicago after graduation for a decade or so (95 miles).  Then split my time between MKE and NYC (911 miles) until Covid.

I made a mid-career change to work with my Father in the business he started when I was a teen, so I ended up in the burbs intermittently.  But my parents have moved to Florida and the business will follow so I will be migrating that direction in the next 18 months or so.  If not for the unexpected career change and COVID, there's no chance I would have ended up back in Milwaukee.  I consider Chicago more of my adult home than Milwaukee and, even after exploring a bit since Ive been back, I know and can speak to Chicago far better than I can Milwaukee.

Amusingly, my first child, arriving in September, will like me have a birth certificate reflecting a place he never really knew.  While he will have more of a connection to Milwaukee, due to extended family and family history, than I do to Indy, I don't imagine he will live in Wisconsin for any longer than I did in the Hoosier state.

[MU82]

I think a TON is dependent on the years between 18 and 25.  If you're still living where you grew up, for a significant portion of time during those years, chances are you won't leave.

I grew up in a nice Milwaukee burb at the kind of HS with 98% college admittance and flinging kids to schools all across the country.  But it was interesting to see on FB the number of kids who flamed out at whatever school they were at and ended back at a school in the Milwaukee area, or transferred back from home sickness or whatnot.  Those kids, or those that moved back for a job in Milwaukee after, all inevitably end up staying.  I can only recall 2-3 people Ive ran into or seen who moved elsewhere after college and ended up back here.

As for me, I'm the pseudo exception.  Born in Indy, but my Milwaukee and Sheboygan born parents brought me back to the MKE burbs before I turned 3.  Lived in the burbs till I went to college.  Then I moved to Oxford, OH for school (305 miles), then to Chicago after graduation for a decade or so (95 miles).  Then split my time between MKE and NYC (911 miles) until Covid.

I made a mid-career change to work with my Father in the business he started when I was a teen, so I ended up in the burbs intermittently.  But my parents have moved to Florida and the business will follow so I will be migrating that direction in the next 18 months or so.  If not for the unexpected career change and COVID, there's no chance I would have ended up back in Milwaukee.  I consider Chicago more of my adult home than Milwaukee and, even after exploring a bit since Ive been back, I know and can speak to Chicago far better than I can Milwaukee.

Amusingly, my first child, arriving in September, will like me have a birth certificate reflecting a place he never really knew.  While he will have more of a connection to Milwaukee, due to extended family and family history, than I do to Indy, I don't imagine he will live in Wisconsin for any longer than I did in the Hoosier state.

That's an interesting loop, Wags. So if I'm reading this right, you think your family's next stop is Florida? What part?

[brewcity77]

Those years are definitely formative in that regard. I've wondered where I might be had I went with my parents when they asked me to come with them to Florida when I was 21, or where my wife might be if she had gone to Purdue, near where her grandmother lived instead of staying close to home and starting school at Parkside.

As much as I am content where we are, I plan to encourage my kids to get out a bit and spread their wings more.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Born and raised in Connecticut.

Spent four years in Milwaukee at Marquette.

Returned to Connecticut after graduation. 

I was interested in staying in Milwaukee/Chicago area after graduation, but 1991 being a crappy year to graduate as most engineers graduating had no jobs lined up, the grocery store offering a return to what had been my summer job & winter break job for the previous six years at least meant employment.  They said I could stay as long as wanted which turned out to be another 9-10 months before landing my first engineering job.

No idea what the future will bring, but Connecticut was a great place to grow up and I love being 15 minutes from the beach and 1.5 hour train ride to NYC among other things.  The wife and I do want to down size and the pandemic didn't really help the timeline.

[Goose]

For the my entire 59 years on the planet I have lived within ten miles of where I was born. Spent my first seven years living three miles west of MU on Wisconsin Ave, followed by stints on the east side and living in western suburbs. My wife and I have talked about our retirement years and doubt if we will ever move completely away from greater MKE. I think we will split time in FL and likely out west as time moves on. I would move to FL tomorrow, unfortunately Mrs. Goose is not that keen on FL.

[StillAWarrior]

I think a TON is dependent on the years between 18 and 25.  If you're still living where you grew up, for a significant portion of time during those years, chances are you won't leave.

I grew up in a nice Milwaukee burb at the kind of HS with 98% college admittance and flinging kids to schools all across the country.  But it was interesting to see on FB the number of kids who flamed out at whatever school they were at and ended back at a school in the Milwaukee area, or transferred back from home sickness or whatnot.  Those kids, or those that moved back for a job in Milwaukee after, all inevitably end up staying.  I can only recall 2-3 people Ive ran into or seen who moved elsewhere after college and ended up back here.

Thus far, we've managed to buck this trend. After he graduated from college my son moved about 1,600 miles away. He moved back home about three years later. After she graduated my daughter decided to give NYC a try. She loved it, but didn't love the prices. Since she could work remotely she moved back home after a year but I won't be at all surprised if she moves again in the next few years.

[Spotcheck Billy]

Born and raised in MKE area. Left for NC at 25 for a job. Followed that job 2 years later to Twin Cities. Company went under less than 3 years later in 1989, moved back to MKE to work where I started this career.

[JWags85]

That's an interesting loop, Wags. So if I'm reading this right, you think your family's next stop is Florida? What part?

My parents bought in St Pete.  So thats where they are, thats where the new company office will be, and that, or maybe Sarasota, will be my next stop...for now.  I'm fine with Florida, but I'm not at all keen on Tampa/St Pete for a variety of issues.  So we shall see.

[MU82]

My parents bought in St Pete.  So thats where they are, thats where the new company office will be, and that, or maybe Sarasota, will be my next stop...for now.  I'm fine with Florida, but I'm not at all keen on Tampa/St Pete for a variety of issues.  So we shall see.

My favorite cousin lives in an absolutely beautiful area of St. Pete. I think it's called the Old Northeast neighborhood or something like that. Very close to the ocean, restaurants and other fun stuff, and I think a lot of the houses are historic. Theirs is gorgeous, with a huge front porch -- looks like something from the early 1900s, but totally redone inside. Million-bucks-plus, of course. But I'm with you on the rest of the area. I'm sure there are other nice areas but I haven't been very impressed with what I've seen. Sarasota is nice, though lots of it is super-commercial.

Anyhoo, good luck with your next move.

I would move to FL tomorrow, unfortunately Mrs. Goose is not that keen on FL.

Smart woman!