JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<div class="ui-widget">
            <h3>Location</h3>
            <form id="chooseCity" class="" action="" method="post">
                <select id="city" name="city">

                    <option value="Select Town">Select Town</option>
                    <option value='Acworth, NH'>Acworth, NH</option>
                    <option value='Alstead, NH'>Alstead, NH</option>
                    <option value='Alton, NH'>Alton, NH</option>
                    <option value='Alton Bay, NH'>Alton Bay, NH</option>
                    <option value='Amherst, NH'>Amherst, NH</option>
                    <option value='Andover, NH'>Andover, NH</option>
                    <option value='Antrim, NH'>Antrim, NH</option>
                    <option value='Concord, NH'>Concord, NH</option>
                </select>
            </form>
        </div>

JavaScript

$("select#city").val('Alton, NH');