We moved from California to Iowa and thought it would be way cheaper. We stayed less than 2 years before returning to California's sunny weather.

Tue, 03/19/2024 - 18:30

Wendy and Kury Meyer pose for a photo together in California. — Wendy and Kurt Meyer moved back to Orange County, California, in December after nearly two years in Iowa.
Courtesy of Wendy Meyer

Wendy and Kurt Meyer moved from Mission Viejo, California, to Washington, Iowa, in 2022.
They thought the Hawkeye State would be cheaper than it was, and they missed California's sunny weather.
The couple moved back to Mission Viejo in December 2023 and they never want to leave again.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Wendy and Kurt Meyer, a 65-year-old manufacturing manager and a 59-year-old toolmaker, who moved from Mission Viejo, California, to Washington, Iowa, in early 2022. They stayed about 20 months before moving back to Mission Viejo in December 2023.