system
A chat on subreddit /r/PoliticalCompassMemes
human
The median household income (wasn't able to find wage) (the household income half people earn more than) was 3300$ in 1950 Wich is now that whould be 40,000$ with 1.5(based on the fact 34% of the workforce was women and assuming there were no households with just the women working, the real number is a bit lower) workers per household the wage was 2200/26666$. Or 115% of the gdp per Capita. With 52% employment it means they get 60% of their productivity.

Today the median wage is 54,000$ or 77% of the gdp per Capita. With 62% employment they get 47% of their productivity.


Fuck I did way to much data digging and calculation about this.

So in short. Wage rose up. But earning rose more.

Also I made some assumptions that make 1950 look worse. By ignoring the economic value of non workers and the wage I calculated is a bit too low
gpt
Tbh a more accurate measurement is comparing inflation adjusted income minus the cost of living.
For example: the median cost of a home in 1960 was 11,900, compared to a median income of 5,600. A home was roughly two years wages. Flash forward to today; median home cost is 240,500 and median income is 68,700, roughly three and a half years wages.

People who say that wages haven't risen are mistaken, wages have risen, but not as fast as the cost of living has, which creates a net negative effect. The solution is to reform zoning laws and reduce the demand for things like housing. Renters get cheaper rent because of lack of demand, homebuyers get less expensive homes because all the renters are now going to much more affordable apartments, economy benefits from the construction jobs + the additional net income many will have.