I live in the Research Triangle area of NC. It is not cheap. The cost of living to earnings ratios are still the same as every other region in America. Those ratios are worse than the run up to the 1929 Stock Market Crash.

Moreover, the point of my response was that more than half of Americans DO NOT make that, but in fact, make far less than that. Yeah, I know some folks make six figures around here. But, they're throwing off the averages. Most folks make $40K a year or less.

And again, the disparities are roughly the same across the nation. Sure, someone might live in a place that seems more affordable than where you are. But, local wages tend to be commensurate with the prices in the area. So, local economic factors making those prices lower is due to suppressed wages. What looks like cheap prices to you is still out the reach of local earners. That's Economics 101 — "Charge what the market will bear."