[discodonkey]

Living standards have absolutely been rising for just about everyone, and continue to do so - for example in terms of income growth[0]. People in all income tiers have seen their incomes grow consistently, albeit not equally.

[0] - https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2024/05/31/th...

[Propelloni]

> albeit not equally.

That's the crux. It's the same in almost all developed countries, we all have been getting more income, but most of us are not getting richer. The widening of the scissors is becoming more and more obvious, because even middle incomes suffered hard during the cost of living crisis, and continue to suffer.

[robertlagrant]

This is mostly because of housing prices, not unequal distribution of income gains. If you gave everyone more money house prices would just go up more, because houses are being built far slower than the population is increasing.

[handsclean]

Your link does not support your claim or in fact mention living standards at all. The fact, widely evident to every American not in the upper 20%, is that your paycheck is bigger, your house is worse, your food is worse, your healthcare is worse, your life expectancy is worse, your children’s education is worse, you have less free time, you can take fewer vacations, and you can buy less of what you want.

The US was #1 on the Human Development Index in 1995, and is now #20, sandwiched between Slovenia and the UAE.

What your link does show is widening income inequality.

[absolutelastone]

Link says the numbers are adjusted to 2023 dollars and a three person household.

[mempko]

Your link shows inequality growing. There is income inequality and wealth inequality and both have been growing. Incomes rise while everything around you gets much more expensive, especially assets.