>Also I have limited sympathy for people who move to high COL areas and then are upset by housing prices.

*Move to a high CoL area to get a high paying job, and then are upset by housing prices.

Many people would be overall better off with a lower paying job in a lower CoL area

Many people would not be able to get a lower paying job in a lower CoL area because there aren't "many" jobs in lower CoL areas.

There is low CoL like Belleville, KS and there is low CoL like Pittsburgh, PA.

A nurse or line technician might have a hard time getting work in Belleville. But there is plenty of opportunity in Pittsburgh.

But alas, the extra $25K for working in NYC might totally blind them to the full picture.

If there were jobs in those locations --- Catch 22.