A millennial left California when rent and cost of living spiked. But she still worries about affording a home.

• Nicole, 35, was a renter in California for years. Then her family's rent went up.
• They couldn't make the $1,500 increase work, so they moved to Virginia. 
• Nicole is an example of how millennials are contending with high costs and pay that hasn't kept up.

For a few years, Nicole was living the California dream. She was making enough money to enable her spouse to stay home with their children.

It's something that they never dreamed they'd be able to do, Nicole, a 35-year-old whose last name is known to BI but withheld over privacy concerns, said. They were also able to rent a moderately sized house in a nice neighborhood close to San Diego city limits in Orange County.