Ok I'm living at home for right now still @24 but hopefully not much longer.

Out here I can cover 1k+ acres just on my 4wheeler to hunt hogs, shoot, ride, go to river + creeks etc. I've lived here my whole life. I work in Houston and commute in. I want to transfer to a new position and I have the job except that now they're requiring I live within 30 miles of work. I'm not excited about that idea but I could pull it off and only be 20-30min away from "home" but I'd be closer to Houston which I despise (traffic, idiots, etc.) I'd be looking at the Waller area.

I have a offer on the table for the same position to work at a branch store in Bryan/CS, 60mi away, still would need to move within 30mi, would prefer S side. I'm sure the work environment would be easier/happier than Houston. I like going to CS to party every once in a while, brother and cousin currently at A&M along with a few acquaintences/firiends in the area.

Really with either scenario I'd be loosing out on everything I grew up with and the ability to hop on the 4 wheeler and go hog hunting after work in the evening or morning, go down to the pond and shoot whenever, etc. I do like catching some live music and wimenz up in CS though. I fear I'd end up bored out of my mind living in town up there though. I'd be buying a house as well unless I could find a decent one to rent. NO apartments. I'd be needing parking space for my truck and company truck(F-450 and Dodge dually.)

I had intended to buy a house that's coming on the market soon a few miles down the road that's surrounded by the corn fields I hunt often. If i do that then I'm stuck in the shop in Houston or Bryan.

I just don't know what to do right now and am looking for insight from those who have made the change. Was it worth it? Regrets?

I grew up on the same side of the fence as you did.  Now I live in a suburb, and I dislike it.  It has it advantages, everything's closer, etc, but I have a shitty neighbor who likes to poke his nose in other peoples business.  He hasn't been an issue recently, but before we had our come to Jesus meeting, he was a real PITA.  I miss just being about to walk out through the woods, hunt my parents land, jump on a 4 wheeler and ride around all day.  Luckily, I've got my wife on my side for buying land and moving back to those conditions. My wife is a city girl for the most part, but she got 2 weeks of country living when we went and stayed with my brother a few months back.  Hopefully, if all goes to plan, I'll be living happy again in 4-5 years with my own land.

I did a suburban to rural and would make the same decision again in a heartbeat.

Is the raise that big?  Is this a huge promotion?  If not, pass.  I could make an extra 10k easily if I wanted to but I'd rather stay right where I'm at.

The hourly raise isn't that much but I'd probably make another 10-15k a year b/c I'd get travel time to and from work and a company truck. My personal fuel and maintenance bills would be nill. The spot has a lot more freedom but also harsh working conditions at times. I'd also get my name out there and hopefully help lay a foundation for my own business one day if I go that way.

Part of me wants to try the college town life for a little while just for the experience.

IMO, if it's going to help with networking and politics in the future for your benefit, it's a necessary adjustment.  You're young, if you're wanting to start your own business, you already know that who you know and networking is a huge part of the game.

If you are only going to be 30 mins from "home", I wouldn't wory about it too much.  You will still be able to make trips home for hunting etc. on the weekends.

People have been making this transition for decades.  Back when Ft. Worth opened it's airplane factorys it emptied out homesteads and farms in the Brazos country and most never returned.  I would not let living the country goodlife retard my career, you can always return.

I keep typing and retyping but I cant really say it any different than what youve pointed out.
Its doable, but its tough if the country life is engrained into you.
When I left home on 30 acres into the city I was bored to tears. I vowed that id leave the city as soon as I could and I did.
After I got married we moved out to the edge of a small community and im content with that. Its not 30 acres (or 1000) but it beats the hectic lifestyle of the city.
I sitll commute into it daily but the drive is well worth the price of admission to check out of this hell hole come closing time.

Sometimes you gotta do what needs to be done and bide your time.
Just because you move to the big city dosnt mean your going to stay there forever.

If only those homesteads were still available at a decent price, I sure dont have hundreds of thousands to spend on a few acres.

The family properties I was referring to were hardscrabble farms in a different post Depression time when the offspring were only too glad to be able to escape to a job and life in the big city. Read John Grave's Goodbye to a River if you haven't already as it should be required reading for any Texan. We have property which I ran feral on and I wished now I had been more responsible and buckled down in college instead of allowing deer season to take priority over my fall semester courses.

Most of the larger landholding families I've known the second, third generation usually goes to college, gets married and move to the big cities.

You guys that have the land passed down generation to generation have got it made, acquiring land is all Im focused on and really cant afford it here.

Being a 5th generation Texan has its privileges.

We moved to a property from the big city 5 years ago.
I work on the ranch that has been in my wife's family since 1939.

NO WAY I could move back to a city.