How far would you move from family and friends (fit in, home)

[familymom]

I think this question applies to people who have lived most of their live in NJ and still have many friends and family in this area. If you were escaping NJ would you move the next state over (Pennsylvania or Conneticut) or would you flat out leave the area and all that you know? Many people use a 3-5 hour rule about how fast you could return to NJ incase of a family emergency. Would you? Planes are sometimes faster and safer?

If you already left, how many times do you really come back and how far is the ride?

[eastcoast.transplant]

Familymom,

I was raised in NJ, and because I thought I was missing something, I have spent my adult life travelling looking for what I was missing.
I have lived in South Texas for the past 6 years, and I have been so wrapped up in the daily struggle, I have not been back home in 6 years, and I hate it. Holidays and birthdays, and all other days. I wish that I lived closer to my family, who are still in NJ.
Suffice it to say, after trying to fit in here, and going thru hell, I have had enough, and I am going back home.
It took us 4 days to drive down here, and the plan tickets....
We will be going home this holiday season, and I am also going to do some job hunting.
So, I guess I have finally come to realize that family and friends are very important.

[tahiti]

if i left the state i'd go to massachusetts or california. but i'm here so the question is moot

[EB2]

Well, I'm not in NJ, yet - and you asked for those in NJ, but I figure I'd respond, anyway.

I'm moving from Florida to New Jersey - away from family (though, my mom is the only one I see and speak to on a constant basis). Unfortunately, as of right now, she has no plans to join me

[Obrero]

All my family is in the UK. They are here ALL the time. Or I am there. I see my UK family much more than my in-law family who are in LI (and for that I'm grateful).

[camaro69]

3-4 hours away are doable.

[findinghope]

i moved 500 miles away to NC last year. i have seen my family--parents/brother/grandmother every 2-3 months since. they come here, we go there.
by plane it's just 1.5 hours. my car/train it's between 9 and 11 hours.
we would have moved to PA but there were a couple of reasons why we didnt

[Gerania]

If I wanted to move out of NJ, taxes, whatever, I'd move to PA or, as you put it, the 3 to 5 hour range. I live in S. Jersey and several family members live in NEPA. I can usually make the drive up if necessary. I can also make excuses if I really don't want to show.

I've lived far away and while I've enjoyed the experience, or made the best of a bad situation, the family thing was always an issue. You miss weddings, you miss funerals.

Unless my husband or I have a 'job of a lifetime' offer, I would choose to live within a reasonable distance of those who were important in my life.

[teachbeach]

I was raised in NJ, although not originally from there. My parents moved "back home" to Michigan in '85, leaving me in NJ. I had a good job and established career, although I wasn't living at home, I was 10 minutes away. I decided I was going to Michigan (entire family lived there except for me) in 1989 unless I found reason to stay. Ended up getting married and leaving to move to PA, no regrets. I could fly to MI in about 4 hours, husband could drive back to NJ (his parents) in 4 hours. Arrangement worked well in our situation. I think if we'd had children we might have wanted to be closer to one or the other. I always thought 100 miles was a good gauge for "distance" from family.

[brook2ga]

I've lived nearly all of my life in NJ and I'm moving to Georgia. It takes 14 hours to get there; we do it in 2 days. While there are people in NJ that I'll miss, I think being close to some friends and an improved lifestyle will be worth the move.