I think our family income 20-30 years ago when we were raising the kids would be very close to $100,000 today. It took work. We took up going to the women's basketball games because it was free. We became great at finding free entertainment.
Every time you thought you were getting ahead, the car would break down, or refrigerator, or someone needed braces. The rainy day fund was always a light mist fund.
I am convinced that the greatest thing we could do for people is to make childcare more affordable. Though in one way it may not have an impact. If a family could get a child into a "C" daycare for $1000/month, I suspect they just upgraded to a "B" daycare Fir the same $1000.
But at that figure, I had friends making much less who also somehow made it. The median is about $75000 or so today, so a whole lot are pulling it off.