My kid went to school in PA. He had classmates from NE, but not a lot. More from CA, I think, in terms of “further away” as well as the south. He also had friends who turned down “big name” NE schools in favor of being closer to home, friends at that school, an environment that was more diverse, etc.
I understand why parents want to be relatively close if it’s possible, and it is in most of NE. And if you can find what you’re looking for close to home, why go further? I also understand the power of the familiar (even if it’s just a familiar name) when you are talking about a relatively young not adult person, living away from home.
With all that said, I think that there are a lot of kids who would have been happier had they landed at schools they never considered.