For me, the answer would be that in the midwest I have to work for 5-10 extra years. Marginal QoL improvement while doing my 40/wk is less important than accumu

For me, the answer would be that in the midwest I have to work for 5-10 extra years. Marginal QoL improvement while doing my 40/wk is less important than accumulating enough to quit the grind. I'd not do SFBA, but other coastal cities with less severe CoL differences pay substantially better than the midwest. You won't be house rich, but you'll be actually rich. And that equals retirement.