Affordability ratio is not the reason young people are moving to NYC. Even with the much-higher salaries (assuming you can find similar jobs to compare), you're going to have a very tiny living space in NYC. More likely, the issue is 1) the jobs in NYC simply don't exist in WV, and never will, and 2) even if the WV person is comparing similar jobs, WV will never offer the lifestyle that NYC offers.
Affordability may not be why people are going to NYC -- but it's absolutely why people are moving to Pittsburg and a few other rust belt areas popping with hipsters.
WV ain't got that tho -- Pitt is at least a real city, and it's mostly filling in after the collapse of industry.
