If you moved to a place like Memphis or Kansas City or Des Moines or OKC, it would definitely be easier to maintain an apartment on your current wages. However, retiring by 40 will require a career plan. It's time to look beyond your current salary and ask what would cause it to grow.
There is a college path and a non-college path.
College path:
1) Identify 3-4 LCOL areas with favorable community colleges and pay/rent ratios.
2) Snipe for higher paying positions in those locations while developing new skills from free resources like freecodecamp.com or the library. Talk to recruiters. You never know when some oddball job comes along where someone needs your skillset and is willing to pay twice your former pay rate. Keep some money and PTO on hand so you can do day-trip interviews.
3) Once established in a new LCOL area - with roommates, take transferrable core classes for a couple of years at a community college. You may have to accept some debt.
4) After about a year in most states, you qualify for in-state tuition. In year 2, transfer your credits to the local affordable state or technical college. You might take on more debt, but keep it small and never pay lifestyle expenses with a student loan. You might also have to switch to an evening job.
5) Pick a major where you can immediately get a good-paying job. These include healthcare, tech, engineering, or accounting. Use the campus counseling center to help identify your strengths and personality. You will find their tools to be eerily accurate over the years.
6) Graduate at about age 30 with about $30-40k in debt and an income 2-4X what you had been earning. Kill the debt in 2-3 years by simply resisting lifestyle creep.
7) Save 2/3rd of your salary for 8 years.
8) Retire at 40.
Non-college path:
1) Pursue one of several potential options, such as:
-the military
-truck or equipment driving
-construction trades
-oil rigs
-fire/police
-union apprenticeships
-factory work
2) Save half to 2/3rd of your income for 10-12 years.
3) Retire at 40.
My bio:
2000, graduated debt-free from a state U thanks to scholarships but with an almost useless psych degree.
2002, age 24, pay: $9/hour. Most went to my apartment, bars, and a very old car.
2003, obtain factory logistics job, pay: 30-40k, buy a $122k house. Switched to lower paying job due to OT requirements.
2005, married to a good earner
2008, pay: $28k. Realize I should upgrade my education.
2009, pay: 35k. Leave a horrible job to focus on school.
2010, pay: 45k. Graduate with MBA
2013, pay: 50k. Laid off for 5 months but got a raise with the new job.
2017, age 39. pay: 60k plus fat benefits, Savings rate 50%. Net worth around 600k. About to downsize my lifestyle to retire sooner - hopefully in 5 years.
As you can see, I've never been great at making moolah, even given great advantages. There were also some setbacks and major mistakes on the road. I am where I am due to my savings rate. I am still to this day held back by low expectations from my $9/hour days and the stubborn idea that lifestyle is what makes a person rich. For example, had I gone for the MBA in 2003 instead of spending the same $25k (yes, $25k is what it cost) on a house downpayment, I would definately already be a millionaire. Play your game accordingly.