Yes I'm paying a premium for space and location (having recently left mountain view also helped making everything seem very inexpensive), not having a family and wanting to be close to things to do contributes much to this.
However the "was that a gunshot or fireworks" question nearly daily with about a 50:50 distribution is not good for my stress levels or general sanity.
Highly recommend spending some weekends exploring the areas around MSP, there are lots of former small towns that are now basically exurbs or even part of the city, and depending on what you're looking for you may find something that fits better.
But trying to go entirely car-free is a pipe dream; but "car reduced" is possible.
However the "was that a gunshot or fireworks" question nearly daily with about a 50:50 distribution is not good for my stress levels or general sanity.