Nearly half of all renter households in the US were cost-burdened in 2023, meaning they paid more than 30% of their income towards housing costs, according to new government data.
If you move outside the city, shit gets much, much cheaper. Mortgages are easily $1,750/mo ($300k, 30yr, tax + insurance included). If your goal is to live in NYC or Seattle, you will be spending quite a bit on your chosen lifestyle. If your goal instead is to buy/rent an affordable 2-3br home, there are lots of options.
Ugh. I get really annoyed when people defend egregious housing prices with the "just live in a shitty place, in a shitty location, in the middle of a food desert, far from economic opportunities, social interactions, public transportation, and you can afford it" argument
Where are you finding a livable home for 300k? I live in a rural area, and I love it here, but you're never going to find a house for 300k unless you're willing to put another 150k into stripping it down to the studs and renovating it.