Are you trying to afford a house much more expensive than your W2s could cover? 

I think you're on the right track with Lowell - that's consistently been one of the most affordable markets in the greater Boston area when you consider price to rent metrics.

For his first two years here he stayed in a rooming house, because he couldn’t afford his own house or apartment.After World War II this country “got rich”, affordable housing became plentiful as “the suburbs” were developed.  

Most students from my experience, are locked up with housing by that time and I can’t afford to go a full school year without it leased 🤣😭

Most small time investors can't afford the risk to buy and hold a property that doesn't make money in HOPES that it appreciates enough.

I’m a Michigander who relocated to the Wetumpka area permanently because of the great weather and affordability.

Right now you have a market where existing landlords have all these properties at cheap prices where they can afford to charge less for rent than new buyers and many don't want to shock their tenants by jumping rents by $400+ in one rental cycle... so we are gradually easing those tenants upwards each year.  

There are some markets that will write both together and if affordable, that would the way I would recommend going.   

I'm waiting to see how much I can afford to pin point a area but I would love to get something in the Marietta/Kennesaw Area.

If the tenants can't afford it, let them move out and find a new renter willing to pay what it's worth.