I moved from Connecticut to California. I loved it, but felt so relieved when I returned to New England years later.

I grew up in Connecticut but moved to Southern California with my partner in 2015. We loved the opportunities there and made friends, but we missed the slower pace of New England . Six years later, we returned to Connecticut.

It was a tough choice, but we think it's the right one. In 2015, my boyfriend (now husband) was accepted to a graduate program in Southern California. With nothing tying me down to our home state of Connecticut, I moved across the country with him.

We stayed in California for over six years — and I spent most of my 20s there — but we ultimately chose to return to New England in 2021. Here are the things that helped me realize that moving back was the right decision for us. Yes, California really is that expensive It costs a lot to live anywhere nowadays, but Southern California takes that notion to a whole new level.

Perhaps our biggest motivator for moving back home was California's affordability (or lack thereof). According to World Population Review , the Golden State ranks third among the most expensive US states to live in in 2024. Connecticut is also pricey (it falls in the top 15) , but once you live in Southern California, most of the country feels like a discount.

From Los Angeles to San Diego, the entire region of Southern California is well above average regarding median home price , yet another metric of unaffordability. We definitely felt the strain of struggling to pay the rent in one of the most expensive areas in the nation. I prefer .