After touring colleges up and down the East Coast my S ended up at a college that was 20 minutes from our home. It was the best for his major, he got the most merit aid, he loved the campus and the whole “vibe” of the school etc.
However, before he finalized his choice we sat down and had a talk. We (parents) agreed to never “pop by” campus, to not expect him home other than school holidays, and to treat him as if he were hours rather than minutes away. He (son) agreed not to use being close to home as a crutch – no coming home for laundry, dinners etc. We all kept to our bargain and things worked out great – he had a full and happy on campus life and explored the city in new and exciting ways.
And yes…once in a while being close by was helpful (ex. when his laptop died I was able to drop off an old laptop for him to use while his was being fixed, he was able to get home for a school break even though it was snowing etc.).
So anyway…this is a long-winded way of saying that going to college close to home can work out really well for everyone.