I think you're misreading the statistics. 100 is the US average. Below 100 = below the US average. Your rent index is 31. Your overall cost of living index is 76.
Just because your immediate area is cheap doesn't mean the rest of the US is, "outside of a few cities" as you put it.
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You made like 50 typos, this was extremely hard to read lol. To address your point, you can tell just by listening to them in interviews that they're as bright as a box of rocks. Of course it could be a facade to appeal to stupid people, I suppose. But that would be some pretty dedicated acting.