I live in the south too and the last time this was a problem the water stank smelled like sulfer. If you’ve just moved one of the things I’d check is the water heater . That was the problem in my case.
This is exactly what I’ve encountered. I only opened Indeed to see what ppl in my profession are being offered in other places. Places with affordable houses. I’m worried my living situation will become a problem in the area I live, it’s only getting higher.
Like you, I find employers are completely unaware of this and aren’t offering enough.
They are also asking for more qualifications than they are willing to pay for, so far I’ll bide my time.
The other annoyance is I can’t ask for any feedback on why my application was passed over.