To All the Places I've Lived Before

@porwest (103227)
United States
July 14, 2025 7:06am CST
My dad served in the U.S. Navy for 23 years, and so, growing up we moved around quite a lot even though my mom and dad divorced when I was around 14 years old. I also spent four years in the Navy myself, stationed aboard the USS Enterprise, an aircraft carrier, between 1992-1996. It makes telling someone where you are from a rather complicated answer. But considering most of the years in one place to date were spent in Wisconsin, and I have deep ties in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is usually where I ultimately say I am from. I have lived in at least one place twice and listed these in chronological order. Born: Stratford, New Jersey Jacksonville, Florida Milwaukee, Wisconsin Iron Mountain, Michigan Green Bay, Wisconsin Chula Vista, California San Diego, California Collinsville, Illinois Edwardsville, Illinois Glen Carbon, Illinois Meridian, Mississippi Newport News, Virginia Norfolk, Virginia Milwaukee, Wisconsin West Allis, Wisconsin Currently back in southern Illinois since 2014 Most people I talk to pretty much stay very close to where they were born and haven't moved around much. Where are all the places you have lived? Where do you say you are "from?"
6 people like this
6 responses
MARILYN
@Marilynda1225 (85334)
• United States
14 Jul
I was born and grew up in New York and only moved around the same borough until I moved here to PA almost 15 years ago.
1 person likes this
MARILYN
@Marilynda1225 (85334)
• United States
5h
@porwest I haven't seen much of the US and am sorry that I was never able to travel much. I probably would still be living in NY if my children didn't migrate to PA and I followed when I retired. Hope your get to see NY one day
1 person likes this
Jim Bauer
@porwest (103227)
• United States
Just now
@Marilynda1225 We were lucky, as kids, I suppose, in that we got to see a lot of the country. We did a lot of traveling.
Jim Bauer
@porwest (103227)
• United States
20h
That's like most people I know. Not only have they generally stayed put in the same general area, but there's also little of the country they've even been to. Where I have been would be a much longer list. There are still a handful of states I have never been to though. Maybe that would be a more appropriate post. New York is one of them.
1 person likes this
DE
@DaddyEvil (153276)
• United States
14 Jul
I was born and raised in Missouri. I was raised on a farm just outside the city and now live in the same city.
1 person likes this
DE
@DaddyEvil (153276)
• United States
4h
@porwest 68% of people live near where they were born and grew up.
1 person likes this
Jim Bauer
@porwest (103227)
• United States
Just now
@DaddyEvil It's kind of sad if you think about it.
Jim Bauer
@porwest (103227)
• United States
6h
Most people I know share a similar story. It always seems so foreign to me growing up the way I did. lol
1 person likes this
rakski
@rakski (143083)
• Philippines
19h
wow, that's a lot! I only lived in five cities in the Philippines
1 person likes this
Jim Bauer
@porwest (103227)
• United States
6h
We moved around quite a lot. I can't even say where we are is the final destination. Who knows?
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (358476)
• Rockingham, Australia
19h
People from the previous generation usually didn't move around much but that's uncommon nowadays.
1 person likes this
Jim Bauer
@porwest (103227)
• United States
8h
Right. I mean, these days people are generally as mobile as ever.
LindaOH
@LindaOHio (194615)
• United States
7h
I was born in Cleveland. Moved from Cleveland to East Cleveland to Cleveland Heights. Moved out on my own and got an apartment in Euclid, got married and moved to Leroy then to Mentor Headlands and then bought a house in Painesville. Then moved to Perry Township where I live now.
LooeyVille
@LooeyVille (71)
• United States
14 Jul
I've lived in Louisville, KY --- many moves within the same city and suburbs and Covington, KY (which I don't recommend to anyone!) I always say I'm from Louisville. Born here. Brief 2 years away when my parents divorced, otherwise always lived here. But now I'm thinking how many times did I move? 1. House where I grew up 2. First crappy apartment 3. Second crappy apartment 4. Rental house with fiance 5. Bought my first house with husband 6. Divorced and lived in apartment on Six Mile Lane 7. Moved to apartment in Plainview 8. Moved to a different apartment on Six Mile Lane 9. Moved to an apartment in Middletown 10. Bought my first house alone in J'town 11. New Hubby and I bought house in Middletown 12. Bought a bigger house in Middletown 13. Divorced/Remarried, sold big house for a Condo in J'town 14. New Hubby and I went to nicer condo in Middletown where we now have lived 12 years But then again, you could have guess that "I got around," right? hahahahaha
1 person likes this
Jim Bauer
@porwest (103227)
• United States
6h
Yes. That's still a lot of moves. lol. But hey, even if you've generally lived in a tight circle on the map, you've still got way more pins on the whole map than I have on mine. lol
1 person likes this
LooeyVille
@LooeyVille (71)
• United States
6h
@porwest True dat, true dat. I'm getting ready to add 4 more in 29 days. Lithuania Latvia Poland Czech Republic
1 person likes this
Jim Bauer
@porwest (103227)
• United States
5h
@LooeyVille I can see you on every trip to Staples: "Needing more pins, Ms. Looeyville?" lol
1 person likes this