That's another of those unfortunate consequences of academic life that our advisors don't tell us until it's too late. It's not just friends -- you're unlikely to find employment in even the same state as your family. And if you happen to develop a relationship with another academic during your graduate or postgrad training, one of you is almost certainly going to have to substantially compromise their career if you hope to stay together.
Surely this is not limited to academic careers. I somehow doubt that everyone who winds up in Boston who doesn't go on to graduate school stays in Boston and environs to work.