My point is that multigenerational households are not a modern American cultural norm, and that has been particularly the case since the 1950s. To expand further, this is primarily a phenomena of white American cultural norms. To the extent that the trend has been reversing over the last couple decades, it is driven by non-white cultures and first and second generation immigrant families. Some of y'all are getting really bogged down in the reference to the 1950's American white picket fence Americana propaganda. If you don't think that propaganda existed, don't think that it influences modern Americans' perceptions of middle class ideals, or want to quibble about whether there is one car or two, we can agree to disagree, and that is ok. We are in agreement (I think) that the basic QOL components that the post-WWII American middle class was founded around are eroding and increasingly unattainable. Those QOL components are primarily achievable by high income earners today, like top 10% income earners. And that is probably cutting it thin.