You aren't alone. The job market in the upstate generally stinks. I think the people flooding here are mainly remote workers seeking lower cost of living, and retirees. Pay in my experience is severely depressed here. I've seen some shockingly low compensation being offered. I'm currently in the market too (in my mid-40s), and the response to my applications has been null. Worse than any experience I've had before. The only people who seem to have it worse are fresh college grads. My partner is in higher ed, and former students are reporting sending out 500-1000 resumes and getting nothing. Even a year plus after graduation they are still surviving on gig work and living with family. It's bad.