The ratio of median wage to median rent peaked in 1958 at 22% (or rather, 4.54). That was also the peak of the Baby Boom. Which makes sense, really, because the

The ratio of median wage to median rent peaked in 1958 at 22% (or rather, 4.54). That was also the peak of the Baby Boom. Which makes sense, really, because the ratio of wage to rent is one of the fundamental determinants of male sexuality, especially back then, when it was less common for women to work. It was much easier for an 18 year old to afford their own apartment and start their own family. People often point out that the median male wage in the USA has been declining since 1973, but what is rarely pointed out is that for men under the age of 25, its been falling since 1958. The loss of high paying low skill jobs means the only high paying jobs are high skill jobs. That has forced two adjustments on us: one, people start their adult lives later than they used to, and two, some people never get there, as they never acquire the skills to get there.