As someone who works in tech in Silicon Valley but who doesn't make FAANG-level salaries and who doesn't earn RSUs, it's enough for a single person with no depe

As someone who works in tech in Silicon Valley but who doesn't make FAANG-level salaries and who doesn't earn RSUs, it's enough for a single person with no dependents to live a comfortable upper-middle class lifestyle provided that the person doesn't have significant amounts of debt. I'm able to afford a one-bedroom apartment in the Santa Cruz area without roommates, make student loan payments, drive a new car, go to Japan once or twice per year, buy a new computer once every other year, make a few domestic trips on the West Coast annually to see friends, eat out occasionally, and still have enough money leftover for savings, both for immediate needs (six-month emergency fund, down payment on a house) and for retirement. It's not bad, though the pandemic-era inflation is quite noticeable and it hurts to see my paycheck not grow as fast as the price of food, services, and housing. However, I'm 34 years old and I'd like to get married and have children one day. Having grown up in a low-income household, I want to be able to provide a middle-class standard of living for my future family. I want my children to have good educational opportunities and live in a safe neighborhood. However, these things are not cheap in America, and in Silicon Valley these things are very expensive, generally requiring the income level of two highly-paid professionals in order to afford purchasing a home in a safe neighborhood with good public schools. Private schools are also very expensive. I don't see a path toward home ownership in Silicon Valley unless I win the lottery (either something like the Powerball or I win "the startup lottery"), and so I see two potential alternatives: (1) continue to rent in/near Silicon Valley while exploring homeownership opportunities elsewhere (which is still expensive, but renting in Silicon Valley is much cheaper than paying mortgages on comparable properties), or (2) leave Silicon Valley and base my career somewhere else where home prices are cheaper, either taking advantage of remote work opportunities or starting my own business.