I feel so lonely and think it's time to leave

Sorry for the long post. Just needed to vent. If it's in the wrong room please let me know and I will move it. Just not sure where to post.

So this isn't the first time I've thought about this. I was actually supposed to move to Vegas in 2020 and cook out there but I injured my knee and covid happened so I put it all on hold. I currently live in Traverse City, MI. It's a huge tourist destination and people are really friendly. I've lived here since 2017 after graduating culinary school to cook for one of their best fine dining restaurants. Well that ended in 2019 as I was supposed to move the following year. I just continued working Shipt as the money was really good.

I've been feeling really down and depressed since I've lived here as I don't really have any friends here. All of my friends and family are downstate. The very few friends I have that aren't my work friends all have families of their own so it's hard to just meet up. The only people I talk to on the phone is my family from time to time or if it's my customers.

It's hard to meet people in this town and trust me I've tried. I've joined local fb groups, I tried apps, I would go out by myself but I get bored quick. I tend to attract the older crowd and when I mean older, I really mean the elderly. I'm only 29.

The people may be friendly but they all have their own groups of friends. It's more of a everybody knows everybody town. No one talks to you unless they know you or know of you. I even have a dog now and thought maybe that would help keep me busy and meet people but it only seems as if everyone is interested in my dog only when we're on a walk. He doesn't have any friends outside of daycare either. No matter how much we try to have playdates or go to the dog park. Everyone says they want to but no one follows through.

I guess you can say I'm more lonely than anything. This town is more for families and the retired not for a single working woman who has no family here. Don't get me started on dating. Everyone just wants to hook up. No one wants anything serious. So my dating life also is a failure.

Sometimes I question if I was meant to be alone in general.

Anyway, I've been thinking of moving. I just renewed my lease so it wouldn't be until next year or so. I'm also just getting my home bakery business started and I have so much support but it still makes me sad everyday living here. I've cried many times over the years because I feel like I have this sign above me telling people to stay back from me.

When I'm shopping customer's orders people always asked me why I work so much. When it was just me I worked 24/7, literally all hours since it was just me and my bed. Now, with my dog, I still work a lot but half that.

It seems to be the smaller cities for me. Even where I went to college, it was hard to meet people to hang out with. I seem to be much happier in bigger cities. I lived in Chicago and made so many friends. I lived in Charlotte, NC years ago for a bit and I met so many people that I hung out with. I was really happy there. I also really liked Atlanta but when I visited in 2019 for the first time as an adult. I really like warm weather year round places or at least no snow.

Maybe this town was never meant for me and my time here is up. I have a job that let's me work anywhere in the country and I can expand my business wherever I decide to go. It's just really effecting me mentally and I want out. I understand it's hard to meet people everywhere you go, but when I'm in larger cities with lots of people who have similar interests I tend to make friends easier.

Has anyone moved out of state on their own and liked it? (Most of out of state places I lived in, I moved in with a family member or went to school and lived on a campus.)

Any tips on what to do before you move out of state.

Yes, I've searched Google but would like personal experiences as well.