Boomers
4.96×
avg salary multiples
1971–1999
peak 6.53× · 29 years of data
Gen X
6.94×
avg salary multiples
1990–2015
peak 8.18× · 16 years of data
Millennials
7.88×
avg salary multiples
2006–2024
peak 8.28× · 9 years of data
Change
1.59×
worse than Boomers
1971 → 2024
4.96× → 7.88×
Affordability Ratio 1952–2024
House price divided by average annual earnings. A ratio of 5 means the average home costs 5 years of the average salary. Shaded bands show the primary home-buying window for each generation.
By Decade
| Decade | Avg Ratio | Peak Ratio | Avg House Price | Avg Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5.06× | 6.02× | £1,970 | £395 |
| 1960s | 4.94× | 5.13× | £3,215 | £648 |
| 1970s | 5.29× | 6.53× | £10,627 | £2,026 |
| 1980s | 5.22× | 6.44× | £35,888 | £6,751 |
| 1990s | 4.33× | 5.46× | £56,712 | £13,186 |
| 2000s | 6.85× | 8.18× | £138,112 | £19,906 |
| 2010s | 7.41× | 8.04× | £188,589 | £25,390 |
| 2020s | 7.87× | 8.28× | £251,858 | £32,125 |