We have a very similar problem here and it's very frustrating. Houses on my street are almost half a million dollars - a 3 bedroom tract house in a podunk, alt-right town that's about 150 miles away from the nearest metropolitan area. Studio apartments in this county - if you can find one available - go for $1K-1.2K. Five years ago, before city council implemented rent control for the first time ever, it was common for three families to live together in one 3-bedroom house because rent was so outrageous and few people here make more than $40K. You can't afford a $2K mortgage payment when your take home pay is...well, $2K.