There's lots of people out there who are at higher than national average in places that have a cost of living 3x+ the national average, who have exceptional exp

There's lots of people out there who are at higher than national average in places that have a cost of living 3x+ the national average, who have exceptional expenses like caring for a special needs child or a sick relative, and/or have childcare costs that folks in lower COLA places often have covered by parents or by a stay-at-home parent. Collectively we can stop acting like every SSE in America is sipping champagne and eating caviar every day, because they really aren't.