I would like to see if the following has become far worse today vs the 1950s
1. Average cost of state and federal taxes as a percentage of median salary.
2. Likely hood of becoming a victim of theft or violent crime.
3. Median age.
4. Average daily commute time.
5. Cost of median home as a percentage of median salary.
6. Percentage of single parent households.
7. Average K-12 teacher/student ratio .
8. Percentage of High school students who graduate.
9 Percentage of college students who graduate.
10. Cost of a four year degree as a percentage of median salary.
Add percentage of middle class households that have only one wage earner then vs now
It’s not grok, but I used copilot and got these (sorry for formatting on the move):
Here’s a side-by-side comparison of key social and economic indicators in the United States between 1955 and 2025, based on the most reliable available data:
Indicator 1955 2025
1. Taxes as % of Median Salary ~18% of income paid in combined federal, state, and local taxes ~28.4% average tax wedge for single workers
2. Victim of Theft or Violent Crime Lower reported rates; lifetime violent crime victimization ~20–25%4 ~25% of children live in single-parent homes, often linked to higher crime exposure; violent crime rates have declined since 1990s but remain elevated in some areas6
3. Median Age 28.98 years 38.5 years8
4. Average Daily Commute Time ~26.9 minutes one-way (est.) ~27.6 minutes one-way; ~53.2 minutes round trip11
5. Median Home Cost as % of Median Salary ~$18,400 home vs. ~$3,400 income → ~5.4× income ~$412,500 home vs. ~$59,428 income → ~7× income13
6. Single-Parent Households ~7% of children lived with one parent ~25% of children live with one parent
7. K–12 Teacher/Student Ratio ~26.9:1 in public schools ~15:1 national average16
8. High School Graduation Rate ~59% of 17-year-olds graduated ~85.3% nationally
9. College Graduation Rate ~25–30% of college entrants graduated (est.) ~64% of students at 4-year institutions graduate within 6 years【source pending】
10. Four-Year Degree Cost as % of Median Salary ~$1,000–$2,000 total tuition vs. ~$3,400 income → ~30–60% ~$100,000+ total cost vs. ~$59,428 income → ~170%+12