^^^I don't know about the others, but for us, it is so there is a reasonable commuting distance to our jobs. My wife is back in the classroom full time and I am back in the healthcare system full time in the office. Neither of us would have these jobs at these levels available in smaller towns and we cannot do them work from home full time.
You're both late in your careers, someone starting out or mid career there is plenty of opportunities here. My circle of friends in town includes teachers, doctors, lawyers, nurses, engineers, computer programmers, accountants, pharmacists, bureaucrats, administrators, warehouse workers, factory workers, mechanics, equipment operators, farmers, retail staff, etc.
I moved here mid career because I saw how much cheaper it was than iving in a greater metro area where I was living. I have yet to find a day where there is nothing to do in town, not including the recent covid time.