[KoryFerbet]

There are a few reasons as to why most companies are only looking to hire local candidates. The first one is that companies are familiar with the area they're in, they know which colleges have better cs programs, they know which smaller companies had an impact in the area, and which ones they should avoid on resumes.

Another is simply that when you extend an offer to a candidate the company has already invested massive amounts of time and money in the interview process. Candidates are more likely to balk at accepting an offer out of state once they really start thinking about leaving whatever area they've called home for the last 3+ years.

Also in regards to telecommuting, you may be able to do that well but I can assure you that there are more remote workers who do it poorly.

All of that being said, some folks are able to make a good living moving around and doing contracts and remote work. You should be aware though, that if you hope to one day land a permanent position at a reputable company after years and years of contracting you're going to have a much harder time than someone who has worked multiple permanent roles.