!WE PNW editorial illustration
The Columbian reported that half of Washington’s 3rd Congressional District residents fall below the Urban Institute’s True Cost of Economic Security threshold, which measures whether people have resources to take part fully in the economy. The publication says the district spans several southwest Washington counties and part of Thurston County. It also reports a 47% share statewide and 49% nationally.
In The Columbian’s report, district grocery spending averaged $1,160 a month and gasoline was $5.46 per gallon, both below the reported Washington averages of $1,220 and $5.57. Health insurance, by contrast, averaged $693 monthly, above the state’s $628 and the national $611. The publication also reported mortgage payment delinquency above 2% in the district, versus 1.6% statewide, and student loan delinquency at about 11%.
