It’s been over 30 years since the first episode of The Simpsons aired — and even longer since the first Simpsons short made its debut on The Tracy Ullman Show. The passage of time between then and now, and the fact that the show operates on, effectively, a sliding timescale, has prompted many an exploration of how the show’s depiction of a middle-class life has and has not remained accurate over the years. Writing at Vox in 2016, Zachary Crockett explored Homer Simpson’s jobs over the years and observed that “it’s clear that Homer has not climbed the economic ranks.”
Five years later, we have another analysis of all things economic related to The Simpsons. In this case, it’s their home — featured prominently in the opening credits of ever episode.
Writing at Consequence, Eddie Fu explored the implications of a recent real estate listing for the Simpsons’ house. Kentucky’s Garretts Real Estate Group pondered the appeal of a four bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom house built sometime before 1989 and situated in Springfield, Oregon — located not far from the airport and several museums — and estimated its value at $449,900.
Fu notes that a home of this size and cost would likely be out of the price range of a real-life Homer Simpson. The implications of this — specifically, what it says about a working-class family’s ability to afford a modest home in 2021 — are more than a little unsettling. Who needs a Treehouse of Horror episode when you have income inequality to ponder?
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