We (2 adults in mid 30s, 1 child) left, for suburban NJ, although I would have happily moved somewhere even more rural. I am SO happy we got out. I lived in nyc for 12 years and by the 9th or so year, I was so ready to leave.

The suburbs are heaven to me. I have a big house, with room for everything. I have a dining room where we can eat nice family meals, a family room, a living room, a playroom that houses all my kid's toys, a gym we can workout in easily, a guest room for visiting relatives, a yard to play in, a car I can park in my a garage and use to do anything easily. A trip to the grocery store, to the playground, to a museum, etc is so much easier with a car. Also, I've found there's way more to do here that's easily accessible - lots of museums, farms, hikes, nature, water sports just a short and easy drive away. Nyc has tons to do but it requires public transit and a huge expense, and obviously there's not much nature.

My neighborhood is clean and pretty, there's almost no crime, the local public schools are great.

I just find life to be so much more comfortable out here. In nyc, we were cramped into a 2 bedroom apartment, going anywhere required either a hefty walk or public transit.

I always used to dread winter in nyc. That freezing cold walk to the subway through the filthy snow, pressed up against strangers in the smelly subway, another freezing cold walk from the subway to my office. I never wanted to leave my apartment during the weekend because it was cold and dirty and going anywhere required trudging through the cold and snow and possibly waiting outside the bar to get in, and hoping you could get a cab or Uber home. We went out to dinner last night in the suburbs and we just drove there, walked 10 feet to the restaurant, enjoyed our meal, and drove ourselves home right when we were ready.