I moved back to my Midwestern hometown to afford to buy my first house. The city gave me $15,000 to help pay for it. Payton Friess bought a home in her hometown of Topeka, Kansas, and received $15,000 for coming back. Courtesy of Payton Friess Payton Friess, who's originally from Topeka, Kansas, moved home after living in Oregon. Kansas' affordability made buying a home a reality that wasn't possible on the West Coast. A local program also made the decision easier by granting Friess $15,000 to move back. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Payton Friess, 33, a Topeka, Kansas, native who moved back to her hometown after living in Bend, Oregon, for years. Friess was granted $15,000 from the Choose Topeka program for moving back, which she used to help her pay off her mortgage. The following has been edited for length and clarity. I am "Top City" born. I've lived here a good portion of my life, but I've also been fortunate to travel around quite a bit.…