[jbigelow76]

I think you are really reaching on the Stranger Things connection. The main protagonists were about 13 years old, even a 13 year old in today's times that is aware they might not be in a location with a lot of social mobility does not have a lot of choice in the matter. Even the show's high-schooler supporting characters in the same demo would most likely wait until college to make a move to a different area.

I think Stranger things had to be set in the 80s cause if you were about to be killed by an inter-dimensional monster you'd be live streaming it on Facebook to the very end which throws a kink in the narrative.