I make six figures in tech in Silicon Valley, yet the closest places I can afford to purchase a home that isn't in a dangerous neighborhood are in far-flung exu

I make six figures in tech in Silicon Valley, yet the closest places I can afford to purchase a home that isn't in a dangerous neighborhood are in far-flung exurban towns in the Central Valley such as Lathrop, Patterson, and Los Banos (my price range is in the lower $500,000s). Thus I continue to rent my one-bedroom apartment in Santa Cruz County. I'd love to buy in the Monterey Bay Area, but it's too expensive and the situation is exacerbated by the area's very low inventory. Silicon Valley is out the question. It's a difficult situation; I'd like to own a house so I can have more space and to have a place of my own. However, I have many ties in Silicon Valley that make it hard for me to move, though if I get married and start a family, I will have to move anyway unless I change jobs due to the sheer cost of housing. I am contemplating moving back to my hometown of Sacramento, which is a three hour train ride to San Jose via the Amtrak Capitol Corridor. Sacramento is close enough to my Silicon Valley office to where I could attend my once-per-week in-person meetings (I work a hybrid role), and it's a very diverse metro area with many cultural amenities. I'm admittedly not crazy about returning to Sacramento, but I find it better than the alternatives.