My rent is down hundreds of dollars year over year as is it for most people I know.
I know a lot of people who have recently switched apartments, and I personally negotiated it down.
What static US locations are "the people you know" living in?
OFC you can get cheaper rent moving to more remote and primitive housing, but that's a misrepresentation anyway.
From California, to Seattle, to the midwest, all rents have increased at least every other year. Your statement is literally unbelievable.
https://www.zumper.com/rent-research/seattle-wa
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/real-estate/in-seattle...