> living spaces are growing too

Median home sizes have gone from 1400 sqft in the 70s to 2400 sqft in recent years.

https://www.bankrate.com/real-estate/average-home-size/

Part of it is the economics of construction. Part of it is growing threshold for “bare minimum”. In unit laundry was optional in the 70s and I’ve heard people wanting a “laundry room”. Pandemic has pushed the need for an office. Larger kitchens and more storage space is also a big difference in newer units vs older ones.