Only in the late twentieth century has a private 1br apartment for single people become something people feel they're entitled to.

I've been in your situation, and you know what I did? I got a roommate. Really cuts on costs, and getting married makes the situation permanent.

At no time in history have the poorest been able to afford one bedroom apartments alone. Remember the stories of huge families crammed into apartments from 100 years ago? The fact that you only need one roommate instead of eleven to get by is progress.