I'm not completely against what you're saying, but you have to remember that what was standard back then would be considered poverty-tier now. In the 1950's, the average sqft of a house was around 900 sqft, compared to now where it's around 2400 sqft (about 2.5x the size), meaning upper-middle class will have a house around 1200 sqft and lower-middle class will have a house around 600-700 sqft. Plus added amenities like a dishwasher, washer/dryer, central AC, better insulation, etc... Features like this weren't that common in the 1950's.

Yes, things are more expensive even after accounting for inflation, but the people who complain the most are just out of college but still want McMansion. Be honest, how many people will be happy with a 2 bed, 1 bath 700sft bungalow as their first house?