The wages in SV price in the cost of living to a certain extent. I’m assuming if the remote work pattern continues, we can’t be expected to make coastal salaries while living in rural Wyoming any more that we would expect a FAANG company to pay an overseas employee SV salaries.
But even if I wasn't in a field that requires time spent hands-on with the physical hardware, a lot of companies (my former employer in the Bay Area amongst them) insist on in-person work for most positions, even if the position doesn't really require it. And so it goes, people making $60K in Wichita or wherever glibly say "I can get a house for $180K, you make 5 times what I make, complaining about million dollar homes is just a rich person lacking perspective". Even if you do the math and show that holy cow, homes are expensive in tech hubs, even considering the median income, all people see is how high the median income, and assume that there's no real problem.
There are markets other than California and Wyoming though. I'm sure you're aware, but its always good to compare compensation versus living expenses. Almost every time I've been given a chance to move it meant I'd be trading my lifestyle in a negative direction (from my perspective) and smaller savings in the end even if the salary was over 2x my current. Everyone has their own priorities in life though, I hope you find a way to achieve yours.
Good luck in life friend.
I'm still frustrated by the high price of housing, because I fundamentally agree with the thesis of the article: housing, especially single-family housing, should not be expected to appreciate faster than inflation. To that end, so long as my house's worth when the mortgage is paid off (on a 30-year mortgage) is about double when I first bought it, I'll be happy.
I don't share the article's glum outlook. I think if enough people can be convinced that houses aren't, and shouldn't be, viewed as money-makers but just, you know, houses, this problem can be solved. I understand that's a pretty radical and utopia position to take though.