[RestlessMind]

When it comes to your quality of life, there are a lot of factors besides the cost of living - social circle, weather, job opportunities, hobbies, cultural compatibility etc. For a lot of people, expensive metro areas can also be the only places where they have friends & family or where they can pursue their hobbies. As an immigrant of color, I simply cannot see myself living happily in rural Ohio even if that could be a wonderful place for someone else.

[dimal]

I agree. But there are a lot of places in the US that check 90% of those boxes at a fraction of the cost of the Bay Area. There are a lot of great second-tier cities that are very welcoming to people of color.