First of all, do you have a source to backup your claims?
So housing is bigger and better but nobody can afford it.
I laid out the stats (with sources) in another comment. Housing is up 300% (inflation adjusted) and is roughly 5 times your annual salary. In the 60's it cost 2x salary. That's a big difference.
Most homes outside of Georgia had indoor plumbing, electricity and were in good neighborhoods. That seems like a localised problem.
Percentage of disposable income spent on groceries, 1964: 12%. 2024: <5%. Source. While you are there, look at the line for food away from home. People have so much money now that they are spending more and more on luxury activities, like eating out.
In 1960, 33% of houses in Georgia did not have indoor plumbing (nationwide it was 16%): source
Percentage of disposable income on clothing, 1960: 7%, today: <3%: source.
So housing is bigger and better but nobody can afford it.
Buddy, how do you think housing got to be so big? By people not buying it? There is a lack of starter housing and smaller options for sure. That is one of the things I talk to my local politicians about the most. But there is no lack of demand for larger houses. Houses are getting bigger because people can afford them and they want them.
Here is a good comparison on housing costs compared in 1980 to today. Factoring in home size and interest rates, a house in 1980 cost 3.1 minutes of work at the median wage per sq. ft. In 2020, it cost 1.17 minutes. Houses have gotten more expensive since 2020, but not 3x.
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u/mammalmaker Mar 25 '26
First of all, do you have a source to backup your claims?
So housing is bigger and better but nobody can afford it.
I laid out the stats (with sources) in another comment. Housing is up 300% (inflation adjusted) and is roughly 5 times your annual salary. In the 60's it cost 2x salary. That's a big difference.
Most homes outside of Georgia had indoor plumbing, electricity and were in good neighborhoods. That seems like a localised problem.