Most young people dream about leaving their birth town, experiencing different cities, and building a life for themselves in an exciting new place. Almost everyone thinks that once they move out of their parents’ house, they will never return to their hometown for more than a visit.
Yet, many young adults find themselves back in the town they grew up in – and even back in their parents’ home – several years after they have left. Whether because of financial problems, practical issues, or nostalgia, many people choose to move back to their hometown – either permanently or for a certain period of time.
If you too are asking yourself “Should I move back to my hometown?”, you certainly have a good reason to consider the idea. Before making the big step, however, you need to make sure that it’s the right choice for you – you need to weigh the pros and cons of moving back to hometown and make an informed decision about your future.
Here are the most important advantages and disadvantages of moving back to hometown to help you decide:
Benefits of moving back to hometown
Moving back to your hometown may feel like a step back but it may be the right step to take in order to get where you want to be – financially, professionally, and emotionally. Returning to your birthplace will give you many chances that you won’t get anywhere else – and it may easily turn out to be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made.
You’ll be close to your family
Even if you don’t move back with your parents, living in the same town means that you’ll be around your family. You will be able to see them daily, spend plenty of time together, share experiences, thoughts, and emotions, and strengthen your bond.
Moving back to hometown to be closer to family is so common for a reason – there are many perks to living near loved ones:
- You’ll have strong emotional support – Whether you’re sad, worried, or scared, mom and dad will be there for you – to offer compassion, encouragement, and unconditional love. You will be able to count on them in difficult situations and will gain strength and courage from their support;
- You’ll have help looking after your children – If you have children, they’ll be able to grow around extended family and bond with their grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, etc. And things will be much easier for you as there will be someone to help you take care of your kids – watch them when needed, pick them up from school, take them to extracurricular activities, play with them, etc.;
- You’ll have peace of mind that mom and dad are safe and well – Not only will your parents be able to help you when you live close to them, but you’ll be able to help them as well – make sure they have everything they need, take care of them when they’re sick, do some more strenuous – or more complicated – tasks for them, etc. You won’t need to worry about mom and dad because you’ll be there and will be able to provide assistance and care as needed.
See also: How to deal with moving away from home and family
You’ll reconnect with old friends
While living away from your hometown, you may have lost contact with your old friends. That’s perfectly normal as everyone’s life is going in a different direction and people drift apart when they’re separated for a long time.
When you move back, however, you will have the opportunity to reconnect with your childhood friends and school friends who are still in town. You’ll be able to catch up and renew your friendship – relive your best memories and create new ones.
And even if you’ve stayed in touch with your closest friends – through texts, e-mails, video calls, chats, etc. – it will be wonderful to actually be together again – share everything in person and enjoy the fun activities you used to enjoy before you moved away.
See also: How to keep in touch with friends after moving
You’ll be able to save money
In most cases, moving back to your hometown will allow you to save a lot of money:
- If you’re moving from a big city back to a small hometown, your living expenses will decrease significantly after the relocation – small towns generally have lower costs of living than big cities, so everything (groceries, utilities, transportation, entertainment, etc.) will be cheaper and you will be able to live comfortably with much less than before the move;
- If you move back with your parents, you will likely not need to pay rent – and you’ll be spending much less on food and utilities when living at home than when living on your own.
Living in your hometown will be easier on your wallet, so you’ll be able to put a bigger portion of your income into your savings account.
It will be easier to get a job
Nowadays, you may be able to work remotely from your hometown, but even if you need to leave your job when moving back to your birthplace (or if you lost your job – or didn’t have one – before the move), you don’t need to worry – it will likely be very easy to get a job in your birth town.
People will know you and your family – they will trust you and if there’s a job opening in your field, you will be hired without any hassle. Besides, living in a place where you know a lot of people may help you find a good job through friendly recommendations – not to mention that some of your close friends or family members may even be able to pull a few strings to get you a good position.
You will rediscover your birthplace
When thinking about your birthplace, you will probably feel quite nostalgic – and when you return there, you will likely be overcome by sentimentality. After the initial nostalgia fades off, however, you may start seeing your hometown in a new light.
Especially if you moved away a long time ago, you may feel like you’re in a completely different place. There will be different shops, bars, and restaurants, of course, and some parts of town may be completely reconstructed, but it will be more than that – as an adult, you’ll see your birthplace from a new perspective and will appreciate it a new way.
You may fall in love with your hometown all over again – or you may find that you love it now even if you never liked it before.
It will be good for your mental health
Last but not least, moving back to your home is likely to have a very positive impact on your mental health.
You’ll be back in your comfort zone, in a familiar place, surrounded by loved ones. It will make you feel safe and calm and carefree – and your mental health will improve significantly as a result.
What’s more, when you live in your hometown, you will encounter fewer challenges and things will be easier for you. Life will be much less stressful than in the big city and you will be able to find inner balance and rediscover your true self.
Disadvantages of moving back to hometown
While moving back to your birthplace comes with many perks, it has quite a few drawbacks as well. Consider them well to make sure you won’t regret moving back to your hometown:
- It may feel like a step back – Especially if you moved back to your hometown because of financial problems or an emotional breakdown, you may feel like you’ve failed in life. And even if the reasons for returning to your birthplace are not negative, you may still feel disappointed and frustrated to be back where you started – it may seem like you’re giving up your dreams and your chance for a brighter future;
- There will be nothing – and no one – new and exciting – When living in your hometown, you’ll be surrounded by the same people you’ve known ever since you were born and will go to the same places you’ve been to every day as a child. You may find that nothing has really changed in your hometown since you left – and you may feel like you’re living in the past;
- You may feel limited in many ways – There won’t be so many shopping centers, sports facilities, cultural venues, and entertainment options in your hometown as in the big city. There won’t be so many employment options and educational opportunities either. You may feel bored, trapped, and deprived of opportunities;
- You may lose some of your privacy and independence – Especially if you move back in with your parents, you’re likely to get a lot of intrusive questions and unsolicited advice – and even some rules to follow. And even if you get a place of your own, people in your hometown are likely to be curious about your life and callously pass their judgment onto you. You may get criticized, laughed at, or gossiped about – and it may be quite annoying.
Every coin has two sides – and moving back to hometown makes no exception. You need to carefully assess your situation and consider the pros and cons of returning to your birthplace before you make your final decision.
Should you decide that moving back to your hometown is the right step to take, be sure to hire experienced movers to help you relocate – and ensure your safe, smooth, and successful transition to your new life in your old town.
