system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: In old sitcoms, even working class people owned homes, though perhaps modest ones (i.e. Archie Bunker's house in Queens). How was this possible?

 Edit: I would also note that Fred Sandford owned a home, as did the family on Roseanne, and a few others.
gpt
It used to be that even the most modest wages matched up with the average cost of living (not always of course, but definitely more often).  In the 40s and 50s, a person could support a family, buy a house, and have a car by working one job.  However, wages have not kept up with inflation.  Because of the rising cost of living, it is much harder to support a family and own a home on one job.