> I bike 15 minutes to work rather than commuting 2 hours, because my work pays me enough to live close by.
For now. Unless you marry another professional, it will be difficult to keep that commute if you decide to start a family.
Part of the problem with the Bay Area and NYC is that it's cradle-to-grave unsustainable. That's not to say people don't make it work, but it's unlikely that the average tech worker in those places has replacement-level fertility or will hang around the area with their kids and grandkids to form a multi-generation household.
I agree that bay area and NYC seem to both have housing costs that outstrip even the high salaries available there. Seattle has similar pay but the cost of living hasn't quite caught up yet. A lot of young professionals buying homes in the city still. Might change in another 10 years though.
For now. Unless you marry another professional, it will be difficult to keep that commute if you decide to start a family.
Part of the problem with the Bay Area and NYC is that it's cradle-to-grave unsustainable. That's not to say people don't make it work, but it's unlikely that the average tech worker in those places has replacement-level fertility or will hang around the area with their kids and grandkids to form a multi-generation household.