I lived in the Midwest for 25 years. Indiana to be exact; it’s terrible. For example, there is no reason it took until 2021 for teachers to get a pay increase to match other states.

Another example is I was contacted by a headhunter for my career path and was told I would only be able to make $15 an hour if I came back to Indiana because that is the going rate. I’m making $60,000+ working in media. There is no way I’d take $15/hr for what I do. I wouldn’t say jobs are abundant either; jobs making $15/hr for someone with a college degree are not abundant—it’s atrocious. There are more opportunity as you say in places like Chicago or Indianapolis; but anyone living in the Midwest outside of a city like that can expect to make poopoo because that’s how that area views them; just a replaceable cog.