Yes, dual income households in $120k to $180k range would work in a LCOL area.
Although, I would never be able to sleep at night if I was counting on depending on an employer for 30 years, not only to keep me employed, but to keep paying me competitive wages when they know I have no other options.
My biggest concern is price of quality goods and services like repairmen and elder care workers and whatnot greatly increasing by the time I am old (2050s) due to demographic changes. I foresee more and more old people bidding for the labor of fewer and fewer young people. And the government chipping away at the purchasing power of the dollar to address this (since that is the easiest and maybe only thing they can do).
Perhaps keep in mind that per capita income in this country is on the order of $25K and has been for decades. We can argue over the reasons or whether that number is artificially low, but once you get away from the coasts, a lot of this country is poor and that $80K would be life changing.
Although, I would never be able to sleep at night if I was counting on depending on an employer for 30 years, not only to keep me employed, but to keep paying me competitive wages when they know I have no other options.
My biggest concern is price of quality goods and services like repairmen and elder care workers and whatnot greatly increasing by the time I am old (2050s) due to demographic changes. I foresee more and more old people bidding for the labor of fewer and fewer young people. And the government chipping away at the purchasing power of the dollar to address this (since that is the easiest and maybe only thing they can do).