Yes, I'm aware. And around 34% of Americans rent. No offense, but this is part of the disconnect. Home-owners (especially when they bought long ago when homes were cheaper) and out-of-touch boomers are dismissive. "Just get a loan like I did! Just earn more money! It's easy!"

Let's get the obvious out of the way: you chose to buy a home. You're also making payments on that, instead of throwing thousands away on rent every month. My rent is more every month than the mortgage for older people I know's family homes, and that's not an unusual situation! I'm a millennial, so I can only speak for myself. But many of us have to rent because what's the alternative? Live with family? Many of us don't have that option. Live on the street?

We're paying rent because we have to. Meanwhile, they jack up the rent because they have a captive audience so we can barely afford that, we certainly can't afford to save money to eventually buy a home. Many also can't afford the cost of moving, trying to get people to help them pack up and move everything, and get the time off work. This all benefits the giant corporations that are buying up all the properties to enrich themselves, but what are we to do? They have us over a barrel and they know it.