It’s harder now for a few reasons. Obvious ones are healthcare (more expensive), wages not keeping up with inflation (in general), education costs, jobs are not as stable (no unions), etc…
Tech is also a great destroyer of jobs (like this Fintech and outsourcing of all manner of jobs now in the US) as is Amazon killing off a lot of small businesses.
Overall, if you don’t make it by 50-60, it’s probably too late and the US is just becoming more like other countries in the world probably in terms of trying to get ahead. The American dream is mostly dead IMO since as has been discussed, sometimes getting your foot in the door depends on who you know, etc…and family wealth/connections. If you are born poor in a very bad part of town, it’s unlikely you will be able to get into a decent college, or at alletc…Maybe be a musician or athlete (only way I see ultra poor people make it).
I’d say nearly everyone I knew had family help to buy their first home (nice areas) so future generations, if they want to get ahead without parental help, will have to make sacrifices in their lives for their kids (which asian immigrants have been doing in the past)…less so now for many people I think since most people seem to like their luxuries/coffee/you name it.
