Minimize the required daily commute and your life will be better overall.

Commuting to extracurriculars is fine, because you set your own schedule.

If it’s only 30 minutes north of you why aren’t you spending more time there anyway?

My thinking is if in doubt, don’t.

Moving to a non walkable suburb is the worst decision you can make for your physical and mental health.

Well, what do you prioritize the most? You mentioned a few different things; a desire to get away, balancing cohabitation, walkability, local culture, etc. If you don't like the walkability of the area but it's not the worst and active community, maybe that's ok sacrificing for the first apartment in the new city. I moved 3 times before I stayed in the same apartment for more than a year, and it wasn't until my most recent move a few months ago before I felt I found a long term apartment

This is pretty good advice. Ever since college I've tried to live near where I studied or worked.

Does your partner feel the same way about a change?

I'm in the same boat. My partner and I are extremely excited for a new start and can't wait to get away from some things here, but the apartment we have lined up is fairly smaller than what we have now.

To top it off, there's another apartment with a beautiful screen in porch on the same floor, but it's a tiny efficiency apartment. The worst part is that that tenant will have to walk through our part of the porch to get to the stairs. I've rented long enough to know that you don't always get great neighbors, so not looking forward to that.

My new landlord is my brother in law and he wanted to combine the apartments and just charge us a bit more, but my sister didn't want to lose the money of having two apartments up there. I understand that, but it's such a nice one bedroom apartment and the two bedroom feels like a bunch of tiny boxes nailed together.

The area is extremely rural and my gf will have to commute a bit longer to get to her transferred job, but we think it's well worth it despite all that. I'd say give it a try and see what you think. If it doesn't work great, view your other options from there. It sounds like you're both looking for a change either way.