Movies - TV
Springfield’s Location In The Simpsons Was Never Supposed To Be A Mystery
By DEVIN MEENAN
One of the most asked questions about “The Simpsons” is, “What state is Springfield in?” While this mystery has endured for a long time, the question doesn’t really have an answer.
Former showrunner Mike Reiss’s book “The Springfield Confidential” explains that creator Matt Groening chose Springfield because it is a common name for American towns.
Reiss claims 43 states have a Springfield, though Condé Nast reports only 34. Some of the more notable Springfields are in Illinois, Missouri, and Oregon.
“The Simpsons” has made jokes about its “true” location, like “The Simpsons Movie,” which lists Ohio, Kentucky, Nevada, and Maine as the “four states that border Springfield.”
Since some episodes require Springfield to be near various geographical features, such as a canyon or coastline, it makes sense that the town doesn’t actually exist anywhere.
The purpose of the location’s ambiguity isn’t a mystery for fans to solve. As Groening explained, it’s for “everyone [to] think it’s their Springfield.”