&gt; Many people choose to live in the Midwest because they like having more personal space<p>I&#x27;ve been in the bay area for about a year now and this hits on what has been by far the hardest part of the transition for me, and what will eventually drive me away.<p>Things are so congested and crowded that it feels like some sort of dystopian novel. And there&#x27;s also this weird subliminal cultural value that people actually <i>like</i> it. I get judged when I suggest to people that continually waiting in line for basic necessities is maybe a shitty way to live, and that it&#x27;d be kind of nice to open my window and not look directly into my neighbor&#x27;s window. Having come from a very rural upbringing, it&#x27;s hard to not feel like an outsider.<p>The rest of your analysis is spot on in my experience too. Some of the most talented people I know live in Nebraska because they want to be close to family. And while the cost of housing is drastically lower, companies also tend to not pay very well at all - and the successful ones instantly try to emulate SV culture instead of having the confidence to be themselves and embrace their own local culture.