Something's shifted in the wealth trajectory game. When Gen Xers and millennials reached their late 30s, their median household real income (adjusted for inflation, obviously) jumped 16% and 18% respectively compared to the previous generation at that same age. Sounds decent, right?

Now here's the kicker: the Silent Generation? 34% increase. Baby boomers? 27% bump.

The gap's pretty stark. Earlier generations saw their purchasing power climb way steeper as they hit their stride professionally. Today's cohorts? They're running faster just to cover less ground. Whether it's housing costs, student debt, or structural economic shifts—the numbers don't lie about who had the smoother ride upward.