While there is certainly some (very) expensive real estate outside of Boston, to a much greater degree than San Francisco, you can actually get a house within a drive for an evening event that's pretty reasonable to a much greater degree than the Bay Area.
Where exactly? Not true for the midwest. E.g. (1,2,3)
1. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/933-Atmore-Ct-Indianapoli...
2. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/10916-S-Wabash-Ave-Chicag...
3. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3920-15th-Ave-S-Minneapol...
Here's what you might find 20 miles outside boston, this one is 350k:
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/55-Emory-St-Brockton-MA-0...