The main reason we are still in our current area is the support network for our kids. My parents are around the corner and so are my wife's. My kids are in the school district my mom taught in for 30 years and retired from, so everyone in the schools knows us well. Our family is there to help when it comes to babysitting - our youngest is with my parents two days a week which helps with daycare costs.

We used to think that once the kids got old enough to not need childcare we would have options to move if we wanted, but that doesn't seem realistic at all. Separate from regular childcare, right now if we want to book a vacation for ourselves and leave the kids with family that is easy. We also realize how hard it would be for our parents if we moved farther away - grandkids really keep grandparents young. There are studies showing this and we absolutely see it in our lives.

For us to leave all of that one of use would have to be making so much more money that it would be a no-brainer. Separate from advances in cost of living, tax incentives, real estate benefits, or moving expenses. We are both in jobs/companies that we can work anywhere in the country, so if one of us came up big the other could keep working the same job while in another state. Unless it was such an increase that one of use could be a stay at home parent, which might also be necessary for us to leave our support network.