Indeed, I make no claim about the size of house you ought to be able to afford. But families always have more need of space than the childless. This makes anyo

Indeed, I make no claim about the size of house you ought to be able to afford. But families always have more need of space than the childless. This makes anyone contemplating children very sensitive to questions like "how much of my present after-rent income must I give up for another 100 sq ft?". And this will be very different for the guy who's found himself spending 75% (to be near google, or whatever) and the guy spending 20% (in 1958).