I remember reading a few months ago a writer was comparing life as a factory worker in the 1970's compared to life at the same exact factory in 2015. I don't remember where the factory was, I think it was Wisconsin. Shit was insane though.
It talked about how somebody at that factory in the 70's could support a large family, pay a mortgage on a house, have two cars in the drive way, take their yearly family vacation and still have a savings account and put away for retirement. In 2015 a worker at the same factory when put up against current cost of living could support themselves, have a small apartment and maybe a car. If they had to support a family and a mortgage they were living near the poverty line and there was no way they could support a savings account or a retirement fund.