Unlike the 20's of the 1900's, these 20's aren't exactly "roaring". The financial crisis that befell the United States in 2008 was largely due to people defaulting on their mortgage loans. Mortgage and interest rates are at an all-time high. With the median price of a home hovering around $412,000 and the price of a new car sitting around $47,000, coupled with $3.52 on average for a gallon of gas and other high energy costs, wages haven't risen as fast as the cost of living.