Visualizing the Cost of the American Dream in 2024

By Dorothy Neufeld – Visual Capitalist

Today, the rising cost of living is making the American dream increasingly difficult to achieve.

While pandemic-led wage growth boosted real incomes, it followed five decades of stagnant wage increases. At the same time, housing prices have soared. Pushing up prices are a limited supply of homes, with home construction plummeting 55% compared to 2006. Together, these broad economic forces have made it harder to get ahead, even with a competitive salary.