Everything is relative. Move to another state,make less money and be in the same financial state as you are in CT. My advice. Make as nuch money as you can while you are here, when it comes to retirement, move south. My father moved to Maryland and lives like a king. I myself love the seasonal changes, some of the best striper fishing in the world, The canyons are a hop,skip away.Phenomenal deer hunting if you can find a good piece of private land. I can head to Boston and NYC in no time. I can deer hunt on Saturday and blackfish/stiper fish on Sunday. I can take my kids apple picking and watch them frolic in the snow. I live in a rural town but can be anywhere I need to be in an hour. There is just something about New England that keeps me here. The architecture, history, sea and people. There are pros and cons everywhere you live, but to me the pros outweigh the cons. I will live here until my children are grown and I have no other commitments. My wife and I have family all over the country, been there, done that. There's no place like home. Ct is for me until I'm ready to retire. Hopefully I will be fortunate enough to have a place in Key West and Ct. Until then its work as hard as I can to give my children opportunities that can exceed my wildest "pipe dreams" as my wife says. The grass is not always greener on the other side!!!