One of the longest-running meta gags of The Simpsons is the debate surrounding which state the show's city of Springfield is located in. While the question has never been directly addressed or been a focus of the show, the debate among fans and non-fans has raged since the show's inception.
The fact that there are twenty-two American states with Springfields in them (some of which have more than one...) only fuels the fire even more. It is one of the show's most prevalent myths and, over time, writers haven't shied from poking fun at fans. One example is in The Simpsons Movie when Ned Flanders makes the quip that Springfield's state borders "Ohio, Nevada, Maine, and Kentucky". Over the years, however, fans and those-with-too-much-time-on-their-hands have compiled strong arguments as to why think the Simpsons' Springfield is set in one American state or another.
Here are fan theories focusing on which Springfield the Simpsons might be from:
10 Springfield, Oregon
Matt Groening has recently gone on record to say that Springfield is based on Springfield, Oregon, which, at the time of creating The Simpsons, he believed to be a neighbouring town to his hometown of Portland, Oregon. This 'Springfield' was based on the locale of the old TV show Father Knows Best. However, Groening would later find out that the show's Springfield was actually a fictitious town. Further to this, is the fact that a number of characters in the Simpsons are all names based off of streets in northern Portland, including Flanders, Kearney, and Lovejoy.
9 Springfield, Ohio
One particular fan of the show took the Springfield challenge in a quite logical way. Despite the hours it must have taken to calculate, it was found that Springfield, Ohio is the US Springfield with the most residents per capita whose names correlate with characters from The Simpsons. It's very unlikely that the show's creators put this into thought in making the show, but this is still a compelling theory for where the 'real' Springfield is.
8 Springfield, Missouri
Out of all of the Springfields in the US, it looks like Springfield, Missouri is the one that fits best with the children in The Simpsons. This particular Springfield is the one with the most mini-marts, comic book stores, and also clowns. So pack your bags, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie, because this Springfield has plenty of Squishees, Radioactive Man, and Krusty the Clown to go around!
7 Springfield, Pennsylvania
Yet another real-life Springfield makes a strong argument for being the home of the Simpsons. Springfield, Pennsylvania has the credit of being the Springfield with the most residents with the last name Simpson, as well the Springfield with the closest proximity to a nuclear power plant. As these two facts are pivotal aspects of the show, it makes for a compelling argument.
6 Springfield, California
Many clues pointing to California as Springfield's state are more trivial details. For example, all of these details pop up in various episodes: a 90701 ZIP code, a car accident said to be at the 101/405 interchange, and a sales tax of 8.25%– all of which are things that exist in California. Additionally, the driver's license that many Springfield residents own closely resembles that of California licenses. Plus, we know that Springfield is both home to Krustylu Studios and Itchy & Scratchy Studios, which fits in perfectly with a California location.
5 Springfield, Illinois
One big tell as to what state Springfield is not located in is based off of all the states that the Simpsons visit or mention as states they are not in in various episodes. Eliminating these states leaves six left, and of these Illinois seems to be the best fit. This is because the state is said to have been part of the Union as a northern state and not Confederacy. As well, Springfield is known to be near a lake and also get snow in the wintertime.
4 Springfield, Kentucky
Like Springfield's state capital, Capital City, Frankfort, which is the capital of Kentucky, has a main airport that is called Capital City Airport. In one episode, when Burns talks about importing sugar in from the state to their south, Homer responds, "Oh, you mean Tennessee?" However, the fact that Kentucky is nowhere close to the ocean, unlike Springfield, is a strong argument against this theory.
3 Springfield, Texas
In one episode, around Springfield's perimeter there is a sign that says "676 miles to Mexico," thus placing the city somewhere in southern Texas. As well, when the Simpsons go to Mexico, it is seen that it is a very quick drive for them. Throughout the series, it is also seen that Springfield has both desert and oceans close to it, which makes sense for Texas.
2 Springfield, North Takoma
Another red herring possibility is that Springfield is located in the fictitious state of North Takoma. David Silverman who directed a number of the show's episodes and also The Simpsons Movie says North Takoma is a solid bet. One of the big supporters of this theory is the fact that the state abbreviation for Springfield's location often pops up as either NT or TA, as seen on Homer's driver's license and various other locations.
1 Anytown, USA
Okay, so this is more of an anti-theory, which states that Springfield isn't in any real state but is simply the all-American city. While there are countless examples as to why this is the case, there are a few compelling pieces of evidence. For example, the capital city of Springfield's state is... well, Capital City. The state flag for Springfield's state similarly doesn't exist, and the list goes on and on.