Really a question that needs serious qualifiers IMO. We’re probably an exception, maybe I shouldn’t even answer. Most people move for family first, place is secondary?
We feel totally at home in our new city/state where we didn’t know a soul after 5-1/2 years - I am sure we chose very well. BUT we both grew up in military households where we moved every 3-5 years, including overseas. And as adults we moved 4 times for my career. We don’t have kids and our families are spread out over 7 states so we can’t be near them. So we’re perfectly comfortable, even prefer learning new places and making new friends (while staying in contact with old friends).
To us, living in the same place our whole lives doesn’t sound at all appealing. I’ve lived places where local people have told me ’I wouldn’t want to move around like you have, there’s no place I’d rather live than here.’ To which I’ve replied (remember they initiated the conversation) ’if you’ve never lived anywhere else how do you know?’ No reply. We have definitely lived places we wouldn’t go back to even if you paid us, and clear preferences among the many we have lived in. And vacationing in various places is not adequate to know what it’s like living somewhere else.
Someone who’s lived in the same place all their lives, near family, or has only moved once or twice would probably find the adjustment (way) more difficult - even impossible. We embrace change, some people don’t - no right or wrong.
I’d think how far you move would be a factor as well. Moving from one neighborhood/suburb to another same city/state (not even moving IMO) or even Chicago to Indianapolis isn’t the same as moving from Boston to Houston or Paris FRA for example.
