[throwaway729]

FWIW my experience is closer to 200k minimum. Especially if you want to be in one of the 1 or 2 best school districts in the area. But yeah, right ballpark. Definitely cheaper than CA. you can also go way south of 150k if you're not in a major metro area, though.

But for not much more (and with a higher salary) you can get a decent suburban house in any number of western or eastern cities. Maybe a tad less land here or there.

And the cities are still expensive with bad schools.