$80k was not a modest salary in 1990; that was 2.7x the median household income. My dad made less than that in 1990 we lived comfortably in a 4BR house in the

$80k was not a modest salary in 1990; that was 2.7x the median household income. My dad made less than that in 1990 we lived comfortably in a 4BR house in the suburbs of DC. [edit] I should point out that my parents purchased a house for $100k in 1985 that, by inflation, should be worth $285k today. Instead, my friend's house (same neighborhood, 4BR, within 30 square-feet of the size of my house) just sold for over $800k. Ignoring affordability of the mortgage (which is complicated due to interest rate changes), my parents could not have swung the down payment a house that cost similar after inflation ($160k in 2023 dollars, ~$55k in 1985 dollars).