or do people not really travel with horses?  

The main reason is labor, and the cost to live around this area is not cheap, so skilled labor demands high wages and benefits. 

Diversified economy, loads of tech money, coastal migrants moving in who still think it's relatively cheap.

I think you have to travel back to Canada every so often to keep the benefits. 

Their only other bills are their mobile phone and car insurance, and with the rest of the money they save on rent, they can spend it on other priorities, whether it’s expensive toys, travel or paying down debt.

I'm not sure of the local job market etc, but maybe someone who wants to save on rent would pay a couple hundred a month to bring in their camper/RV/Travel Trailer to stay in the area for cheap...that's about it I think.  

The completed expansion is expected to reduce travel time from Mobile to the Eastern Shore, increasing reliability and accessibility to jobs, educational facilities, medical services and recreational activities.

Remind them that sound does travel between the units, so if they are on a late night phone call with their friends, to perhaps not sit in the room directly under the upstairs bedrooms.

Travel and meals (50%) are deductible.

That's the easiest, least expensive way to get started and investing in that way in your local market will have a much greater impact on your financial future than buying a cheap house in the midwest- those "cheap" houses tend to be very expensive.