I am originally from NY. However, my family moved around a lot living all over the US, especially the South, even in Texas for a time. When I got out of the military, I decided to remain in Texas, one of the best decisions that I ever made.
Like you, I moved around a lot as a kid (military family). After leaving home, I continued to live out of a suitcase until my early forties.
It was after my wife and I had four kids, that I looked around and realized that we were living in a state that was swirling down the drain. I thought about what that meant for my kids' futures. Within a year, we'd packed up everything and moved to Texas.
I knew we were making the right choice when we relocated, but it took me three or four years to understand just what an exceptionally wise choice we'd made. Over time I find myself appreciating that decision more and more.