Think of it as a "vacation" from LA life. Do you want to live in a place with more nature, cheaper housing, a different pace and style of life, and just bored of.the smoggy LA, crime-filled, horrendous rent and parking rat-race? Then Tennessee would be the start of living and enjoying life back east, with easy road trips to Fat man squeeze caves, long nature drives into the countryside and forests, etc. Of course, you'll get wilder weather. Snow several feet deep at times closing schools and traffic, heavier rain, sticky summer humidity along with the real weather changes. Honestly, that's what the lateral move you have is - long term vacation on the East coast escaping from LA. Not a bump up in pay worth being the motivator.