Plenty of places in the Midwest/South if you're a tradesman. Obviously a McDonald's worker or Starbucks barista is probably not going to be able to afford a mortgage.
I agree with you, speaking from experience with family. But I also see the spillover from the coasts as threatening this. The "wealthy refugees from the west coast" has become a real thing.
Maybe it's all about [over]population and age distributions.
This is obvious because? We certainly have the wealth for it.
You are free to tip until they make whatever you consider a sufficient wage. "We" should start with "you".
Tipping is the worst culture possible for work environments... Make someone's salary hostage to the whims of patrons, what a lovely way to live.