In all honesty- don’t be afraid to make the move, especially to family. I switched roles at one the tech giants from software development to the "field" (sales,

In all honesty- don’t be afraid to make the move, especially to family. I switched roles at one the tech giants from software development to the "field" (sales, service, and support) in order be able to move closer to my wife, and have stuck with it to be closer to family while raising our kids. It was a definite sacrifice and I won't pretend like I don't still fantasize abut jumping back into a product group somewhere, but I've still enjoyed my career so far. Overall though, its been worth it. The familial support is just such a game changer, as is living in what is IMO a friendlier and more family centric community. I've known a fair number of people make similar jumps and come out fine. I don't want to make any blanket statement that moving out of a coastal tech capital is the right move generally, but it is definitely possible to accept a down grade in your work life for an improvement in your home life and feel like you came out ahead.