Living "just outside a major Northeast city" is not remotely the same thing as living in "flyover country". Chances are if you're in software that "major Northeast city" has plenty of offerings for you should your current job disappear, your particular town benefits immensely from the proximity of the (likely more cultured) metro area nearby, and so on. I'm going to guess your pay is also larger, even adjusted for cost of living, than many (most) in the "flyover country" mentioned.