I was just talking with a friend of mine last night about this very fact...he and I share a hometown, but he has since moved away from here...far away (from the Northeast US to Southeast Asia). He said the same thing happened as did for you in that when he returned to his hometown, he began to get very down. I've been back in my hometown for about 15 years, and I think that since I've been here my depression has gone from bad to worse.... So the short answer to your question is - yup, location matters in my experience (and in the experience of my dear friend)...