FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., May 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AD Mortgage, a leading wholesale lender in the United States, has released a new housing market study examining how middle-class access to homeownership has evolved from the late 1960s through the early 2020s, and how modern mortgage lending helped preserve access despite rising home prices and affordability pressures.
The report, Middle-Class Access to Housing, analyzes long-term housing affordability trends by comparing home prices, household incomes, ownership rates, housing supply, and mortgage financing conditions across multiple decades. The findings suggest that while housing became significantly more expensive relative to income, lenders adapted through financing structures and mortgage innovation that helped keep monthly payments manageable for many households.
The study found that while the national price-to-income ratio increased from 3.05 in the late 1960s to 5.27 in the early 2020s, national homeownership rates remained relatively stable over time. While home prices and upfront costs increased substantially, financing solutions, longer-term mortgage accessibility, and lower mortgage rates helped offset some of the pressure on monthly affordability.
The report also identified a major shift in mortgage financing conditions over time. In the late 1970s, mortgage rates averaged approximately 9.5%, with monthly mortgage payments consuming nearly 29% of median household income. By comparison, the early 2020s saw average mortgage rates closer to 4.98%, helping reduce monthly payment pressure despite dramatically higher home prices.
“What it means to be middle class in housing has changed since the 1970s, presenting regular folk with new challenges,” said Max Slyusarchuk, CEO of AD Mortgage. “Our goal is to ensure these financial challenges don’t stand in the way by providing support, guidance, and solutions that help households achieve their aspirations of homeownership.”
Key findings from the study include:
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Median home prices increased from $22,955 in the late 1960s to $397,920 in the early 2020s, significantly outpacing household income growth.
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The national price-to-income ratio increased 73%, from 3.05 to 5.27, highlighting the growing complexity of middle-class homeownership.
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Late 1970s mortgage rates averaged 9.5%
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Early 2020s mortgage rates averaged 4.98%
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Monthly mortgage payments peaked at 35.09% of household income in the late 1980s.
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Early 2020s monthly mortgage payments represented approximately 27.12% of household income.
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Housing supply increased 29% on a per-capita basis from the late 1960s to the early 2020s, expanding overall housing availability.
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down payment requirements increasing from 72% of annual income in the late 1970s to more than 105% in the early 2020s