@Thenomain AGREED.
Here in Az, the area around Arizona State University in Tempe used to have affordable apartments ($800/mo for a 2BR around 2005) around the campus. Since then, those apartments have all been bought out and replaced.
Thst's a shame. I lived about a block behind Mill because it was actually affordable for a young couple to rent there, unlike Mesa, and there was always something to do even if you were mostly broke.
I'm in Tempe still. Which I love, but it's a different world than when I was going to ASU back in early 00s. I live far enough off the college area that my rent isn't crushing, but it keeps creeping up year by year. I'm trying to save up enough to buy just because, at this point, a mortgage on a decent condo would not be more money than I'm paying in rent each month (and might actually save me bank in a year or two the way things are going). Also, I might as well buy now, because even if I work outside the area I'll clearly never permanently LEAVE (I moved back 'for awhile' like 10 years ago). I need to accept that I cannot quit you, Tempe.