🔶 Baby Boomers 1946–1964
🟣 Gen X 1965–1980
🔵 Millennials 1981–1996
🟢 Gen Z 1997–2012
The American Dream Calculator
Enter your details to see how your generation compares — and what the same home cost your parents.
Your dad bought his house when it cost 2× his salary. You're looking at 6×. Enter your birth year and city — see exactly how many years each generation had to save, and what changed.
We compare what the American Dream cost in 1975, 1990, 2000, 2010, and today — adjusted for inflation and wage growth. The calculation shows not just price increases but the ratio of years of work required to buy a median home.
Historical home prices from NAR. Wage data from BLS CPI-adjusted. Inflation adjustment using BLS CPI calculator. Mortgage rates from Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey. Educational use only.