Buying Power Then Vs Now Direct

Mortgage rates were often 10% in 1990, making monthly payments a heavy lift even at lower prices.

Back in , the average US home cost around $151,200 . In today's dollars, that’s roughly $354,858 . While wages have grown, they haven't always kept pace with the soaring cost of "big ticket" essentials like housing, education, and healthcare. The "Squeeze" Factors: buying power then vs now

Median income rose from ~$14k in 1990 to ~$42k in 2023, but the home price-to-income ratio jumped from 8.7x to 10x. Mortgage rates were often 10% in 1990, making