14 Things Gen X Is About To Be Priced Out Of

Gen X is often the "forgotten" generation of latchkey kids who are now well into adulthood, and they have some loud messages for the younger generation about the economy. We can't afford anything.

Those born roughly between 1965 and 1980 grew up with the promise that if they went to school, got a job, and worked 40 hours a week, they could live a comfortable middle-class life. The generation wants to prepare for retirement by checking on their financial fitness, but many are realizing the outlook isn't as rosy as they once thought it would be.

Keep reading to learn about the most significant financial hurdles Gen X is facing today and over the next decade.

Everybody knows health care has gotten out of hand, and Gen X is acutely aware of the increasing fragility of the human body. Middle age comes with its own health challenges, especially if you start a family and have children to care for.

Unfortunately, with health care prices continuing to climb, many of this generation will have to dig even deeper into their pockets when it comes time to call the doctor.

Gen X watched their parents retire with pensions and substantial Social Security benefits, then they never saw it happen again. Retirement has become a privilege many Gen Xers are realizing will be unattainable for themselves.

The stark reality is that many folks in this generation simply won't retire, resulting in a significant shift towards employees enjoying their work rather than merely tolerating it.

A study by the Education Data Initiative from 2024 shows that Gen X has the highest average student loan balance. The increasing length and burden of higher education debt are preventing many from saving for retirement, which is sure to cause a significant problem in the not-too-distant future as this generation considers retirement planning.

Gen X is sandwiched between helping their kids financially, while preparing to take care of their own parents as they need increasing age-related care, earning them the nickname of the "sandwich" generation.

But this new burden will come with increased cost, which many won't be able to work into their budget. And those who can't afford assisted living facilities also can't afford to stay home all day to care for aging parents themselves.

With the cost of adult day care averaging around $103 daily (or $3,090 per month) and partial in-home care running about $33 per hour, it might be unaffordable for Gen X to step in and help out their parents.

Dating is expensive. There are fewer and fewer places to take a date that don't require spending money. Even the old standby of dinner and a movie has gotten prohibitively expensive. That means singles may not be able to afford to wine, dine, or woo new prospects as easily as they did when they were younger.

Generation X saw some of the highest mortgage rates in history before witnessing the mortgage crisis of 2008. Buying a home is becoming an even less attainable goal for those who don't already have one, and Gen X is running out of time to reasonably make first-home purchases.

According to the National Institute on Retirement Security, roughly 40% of Gen Xers have nothing at all saved for retirement. Having a savings account depends on making enough money to escape the cycle of living paycheck to paycheck, which hasn't happened for a large portion of the now middle-aged population.

Gen X is increasingly concerned about whether their Social Security benefits will exist by the time they hit retirement age. 

The fear of being unable to ever retire, coupled with paying into a system for one's entire working life and potentially not receiving the benefits, is an increasing source of frustration for this generation. It doesn't seem like that will change much in the coming decade.

According to Innago, between 2015 and 2025, median rent inflation outpaced currency inflation by over 50%.

According to Apartments.com, the national average rent for an apartment in 2025 is $1,630, and many landlords require income to be at least three times the amount of rent. If rental rates continue increasing at this pace, Gen X may be faced with a homelessness crisis in the next ten years.

Going to Disney World was once the hallmark of the American summer vacation, but skyrocketing prices for a classic Disney vacation have moved it into the realm of luxury items.

Consider this: In 1990, the ticket price for Disney World was $31, which, adjusted for inflation, would be $75.23 as of 2025. In reality, the 2025 ticket prices had jumped to $119. That might not sound too bad for locals, but the average cost for a family of four staying at the resort was between $5,000 and $9,000. If prices continue to follow this trend, Gen X could be priced out.

A 2024 Newsweek survey of 2,500 U.S. voters revealed 53% skipped a vacation because of the high cost of living. Of those who did intend to travel, only 17% were traveling abroad. That decline could continue if the changing political landscape worsens, which means Gen X may no longer need to renew their passports in the next 10 years.

A Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank survey shows more than half of the Gen Xers surveyed were cutting back on discretionary spending, such as buying new clothes. Second-hand thrift shops have been steadily increasing as fewer people can justify the price tag on new, quality apparel.

It's not just Gen X feeling the pressure of exorbitant food costs, and it's not going to get better without changes. First, it was cutting down on restaurant budgets, then condensing weekly grocery budgets, and now we're all just screaming about the price of eggs.

An Inside Dentistry report indicates that 61% of Gen X respondents indicated dental care was not affordable. Even those who can afford dental insurance are oftentimes unable to pay the out-of-pocket expenses for anything not covered by insurance, and insurance doesn't cover much.

Generation X has witnessed some major defining events, including the Dotcom bubble, 9/11, the mortgage crisis of the late aughts, and more recently, the COVID pandemic. This has left the generation disillusioned about the affordability of living over the next decade.

Still, the former latchkey kids are well acquainted with rolling up their sleeves, dialing up the sarcasm, finding ways to earn extra cash, and figuring out how to get by on their own. So, while these predictions may feel a bit gloomy, they aren't going to keep Gen X down.