There is no easy answer. You didn't say where you from, where your wife is from, where you were stationed, or what you consider is normal or acceptable. It all depends on your values. Make a list of what you consider positive (good schools, close to parents, good pay, benefits, etc), and what you consider negative (bad traffic, high crime, weird natives, etc), and the decide what you are willing to live with. There is always the chance that an older plant will shut down before you reach retirement age and you will be left in limbo. There are newer plants being built in S Carollina, Georgia, and Tennessee. You are probably young enough that you can take a mulligan if you find that you don't like the first choice. Most employers are getting away from retirement plans anyway and increasing the 401K benefits that are vested immediately. This means that there is less incentive to stay put. Keep posting and email someone if they have posted something that sounds interesting.