$900 a month? LOL. Where I live you couldn't even rent a cardboard box for that.
Overpaying isn't something to be proud of. Not that I am saying you are, though, just that different areas of the country due to wages, etc. all factor in. Outing myself but I watch a lot of HGTV and (using california as an example) a million dollar house there would be about a $250,000 house where I live (give or take).
My rent is well below $900 and around here paying that price would be considered high. Also, I am in an area that is pretty constantly in the top 10-15 lists for best places to raise families, etc. by several national magazines, etc.