Estimate is off. $500 if the town is small enough. Additionally, typically lower-income people aren't trying to pay the whole of it (family lives with them and contribute).

May or may not be relevant in the context of this discussion.

FWIW you can buy a lot more than you'd expect for a small amount in very rural areas. Homes and acreage for well under $100k, which gives you a pretty small mortgage. Much, much smaller than $750.

I paid $220/mo for a room in Tucson during 2012-2013. Nice and big one-bedroom houses are close to the university are like 400-500 nowadays. Obviously having kids changes things.