There's strange kinship and signaling in proximity. It's similar to college degrees. Working in SF - either in person or locally remote - puts people in a separate bin.

It's not just signaling. Once people move away the kinship factor fades, even when you already know them well past the signaling stage.

This kind of boils down to "I want to live and work with people like me" which is a common feeling, but sometimes veers dangerously.