Wages in Springfield for alot of entry level jobs - especially ones that require no experience - are actually not bad. Moved from NW suburbs of Illinois a few months back and the wages here are basically the same for those positions with some of the manufacturing, distribution, etc jobs actually paying a bit more.

Then there's odd cases like Buckys- a big gas station with shit inside basically. A wealthy suburbs like Vernon hills in Illinois doesn't pay its retail associates and clerks 18$ an hour though the new Buckys opening up here starts at that. Store managers here will make 100k. Why the disparity? No idea.

The grass always looks greener I suppose, but this still prominent labor shortage means Springfield is in a position to still grow despite a wealth of issues plaguing it.

Working remotely helps - but it doesn't pay as much as people think. Entry level manufacting jobs here make almost as much as I do.

What's really key is the cost of living here, lowish housing prices (not rents) and property taxes that aren't basically the equivalent of having a permanent second mortgage on top of sky high interest rates for potential homeowners. (Illinois property taxes on just a condo is like 2500$ a year for example. 1800 Sq foot house with 4 bed and 2 bath? 5-9k a year and the schools aren't any better than the ones here, the parks are lacking, and the roads are still in need of desperate repair.)