Sorry I can't comment on the State; they've done some really advanced web page programming that leaves me looking at an all black page.

I suspect I live pretty close to you, so I'm going to base this list on my commuting (in all weather, eventually, except frozen water on the road). Things you need to look for in a commute bike include:
- Mounting points for rack to carry the load (shoes, clothes, maybe a laptop? inside panniers)
- Mounting points and clearance for fenders (I see fenders as a requirement for commutes where it rains 30% of days)
- Slick tires (not to be confused with thin tires); note you can upgrade from knobbies for about $100
- No suspension; it's expensive and heavy, and if you're riding on the roads, it's unnecessary
- Leave room in your budget for blinky tail light, spare tube, patch kit, and tire "irons," and a seat pack to carry them in. And a pump.

You can get this with a rigid mountain bike, a gravel bike, or a road bike. Often it'll be a low end, because if you want to ride fast you don't need the rack, and then you can spend an extra thousand bucks or more on a bike. Some people prefer the MTB for an easier glance back to check for traffic. A touring bike, or (some) endurance bikes, offer similar bar geometries, and you'll appreciate the low hand positions when dealing with strong winds before or after a weather front comes through.

After inflation you might look at REI's ADV 1.1. It's a bit heavy, and a bit over your desired price. OTOH, it has racks, it's built to take rough roads, it's got tires to deal with urban roads (potholes and trash).

For a first commute bike, I think it's worth planning test rides, preferably sequentially on the same day. Ride a bunch of bikes 2-3 miles each, and pick the one that you like to ride the most. Call around ahead of Shopping Test Ride Day to find who has models you want to try. If you can hit a bunch of shops with interesting bikes on a Tuesday-Thursday, that's optimum, but you may have to wait until a Saturday.

Don't limit yourself shopping on-line to the point you know what you want and won't look at anything else. I almost did that when I went to buy a Cannondale Touring bike, but came home with the REI Randonee, the ADV's predecessor, because I liked it more under my hands and butt. Nicer ride, fit me better than the C'dale, wasn't as noodly as one other model I looked at seriously, it was the nicest of four bikes I rode that day. And after I got in shape and got ambitious after a few years, it carried me right across the country.