Is the Game Rigged?
Housing costs have skyrocketed. Student loans are the norm. Wages haven't kept up. Calculate your "Financial Difficulty Score" to see how hard your path really is compared to the "Golden Age" of 1990.
1 Enter Your Reality
Enter your numbers to unlock your Reality Score.
Your Financial Difficulty Setting
Difficulty Score: 85/100
You are playing the game with heavy headwinds. Your housing costs and student loans are consuming wealth that previous generations could invest.
Housing Burden
Wealth Lost to Debt
If your student loan payments were invested instead (at 7% over 20 years), you'd have this much extra.
Your Trajectory vs. "The Golden Age" (1990)
This chart compares your projected net worth against a "1990 Equivalent" scenario where housing costs were significantly lower relative to income.
Beat the Rigged Game
The math is harder for you, but not impossible. You need optimized tools to close the gap.
Why It Feels So Hard (The Data)
| Metric | 1990 (Inflation Adj.) | 2024 Reality | The Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $354,858 | $492,300 | +39% Higher |
| Home Price-to-Income | 3.5x Ratio | 5.0x Ratio | Much Harder |
| Wealth Share (Age 35) | 21% (Boomers) | 10% (Millennials) | -50% Less Wealth |
Data sources: FRED, Visual Capitalist, Census Bureau.
It's not just in your head. While wages have grown slightly, the cost of key assets—specifically housing—has exploded, creating a "wealth gap" that income alone cannot bridge.
1. The Housing Ladder is Broken
In 1990, the inflation-adjusted median home price was roughly $355k. Today, it hovers near $492k. Meanwhile, the price-to-income ratio has jumped from 3.5x to 5.0x. This means you have to work significantly more years just to save a down payment than your parents did.
2. The "Real" Wage Stagnation
While median household income has risen about 37% since 1984, the costs of "non-negotiables" like healthcare, education, and childcare have outpaced general inflation. This leaves less discretionary income for investing. In 1990, younger households held roughly 21% of the nation's wealth. Today, that same age cohort holds just 10%.
3. The Solution: Aggressive Optimization
Because the "standard path" is steeper, you cannot afford to be passive. You need to be more efficient with taxes (Tax Bracket Modeler), smarter about debt (Snowball vs. Avalanche), and intentional about income.
💡 Facing headwinds?
See how small lifestyle changes can compound into massive wealth.