My DH was stationed here in 1977 with the AF. He's from Charlotte and I'm from Augusta, so family was close. Now I only have a DB left of family and he lives about 6 miles away. My DS lives about 2 streets away. Have a DD and SIL and 2 GSs in Florida. One DGD in Lake Tahoe and one near Sacramento. Have no plans to move. Our house is on a slab with easy access and about 1800 sq ft so easy to heat and cool. Because of Hurricane Hugo in 1987 and were without electricity for about 2 weeks and had to use a generator, we put a propane gas heater (on the wall) for supplemental heat and had a well sunk with a hand pump for water if all electricity goes out again. They are there for backup only. We do have the change of seasons here. Summer is the longest and hot and humid but the winters are mild with some 20 degree weather occasionally and a little ice but it usually doesn't last long which is nice. Spring is delightful and my favorite time of the year as we have lots of flowers that bloom here. Of course, not all of the same type that grow in the North as we don't have the chill factor lots of plants need to bloom, like tulips, hyacinth, lilacs, etc. I have something blooming in my yard year round...
I always thought we'd have lots of family nearby for our old age, but everyone has lives of their own with careers, spouses, etc.
Determine why it is you live where you do. It would be very difficult for us to relocate at this time in our lives. Can't imagine moving 52 years of married "stuff". Some one will just have to move it or throw it away when that time comes...
"Bloom where you are planted"...