When pundits and media talking heads warn that the American family is in decline, what they’re really saying is that it looks drastically different today than it did even five years ago.

More young Americans are prioritizing economic survival over marriage, homeownership or having children – not out of selfishness, but out of necessity. 

According to a 2025 Investopedia cost analysis, the cumulative price of traditional American milestones – homeownership, health care, childcare, education and retirement – now passes $5 million over a lifetime. That figure alone explains why so many people feel disenfranchised.

Research consistently shows that rising housing costs shape family formation. An economic study found that for every 10% increase in home prices, birth rates among non-homeowners dropped by roughly 1%. Demographic research hosted on ResearchGate similarly shows that the lack of affordable housing delays first births and reduces overall fertility.

It’s a misnomer to say that Generation Z is abandoning the American dream when in reality, the American dream is abandoning them.

To survive an increasingly volatile job market, economic caution has become a defining........

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