My folks grew up in NYC in the 50’s and 60’s. They remember it fondly. But when I came along in the 90’s they fled to Pennsylvania, precisely to protect me from the atmosphere in NY.
Mom said it was like living in a sitcom (specifically, Green Acres). They will never completely adjust, but they have no regrets.
Now and then I think about moving to another state but I really love it here. You just have to stay out of Philadelphia, and hold your nose in the college towns.
Taxes are low, guns are ordinary as flashlights and duct tape. Most people support Trump. We almost never suffer hurricanes, earthquakes, drought, fire ants, scorpions, alligators. Taxes and crime are comparatively low.
But it is a long ride to the beach.
Coming from somewhere like NY I can see why you would think those things about PA. But let me assure you, as having been born and raised in that ... place, it is FAR BETTER in TEXAS.
I felt a similar way about the beautiful corner of the blue state I was living in. That is, until Covid hit, and then the governor locked everything down, was forcing all state employees and contractors to get vaxxed. After living there for over a decade with a great job, I resigned and headed back to Texas. The land is not as pretty, there’s more traffic, it’s hot and dusty, lower quality food, etc., but it is sure nice to live in a free state where nobody is trying to force me to get Covid vaxes. Covid really made clear to me that I would never move back to a blue state.
“But it’s a long ride to the beach’’.
Yeah. Here on The Jersey Shore we’re used to ‘’the Bennies’’.
We take it all in stride.