Half of Washington's 3rd District Falls Below Security Threshold
An Urban Institute report measures economic hardship across Southwest Washington's congressional district.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Employment
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The Urban Institute released a report measuring economic hardship across Washington's 3rd Congressional District, finding that 50 percent of residents fall below its economic security threshold. The district ranks third-highest in hardship among the state's congressional districts.
Why it matters
The findings show a larger share of residents in the district lack the resources needed to fully participate in today's economy than statewide or nationally. The measure reflects everyday costs such as groceries, gasoline, health insurance and mortgage payments.
The Urban Institute's True Cost of Economic Security threshold found 50% of 3rd District residents fall below the economic security line, compared with 47% across Washington and 49% nationally. The report does not address what remedies are under consideration.
The players
Urban Institute
The Urban Institute is a nonpartisan research organization in Washington, D.C., that studies economic and social policy issues.
The details
Residents of the 3rd District spend an average of $1,160 a month on groceries and pay $5.46 per gallon of gas, both slightly below statewide averages of $1,220 and $5.57. Monthly health insurance costs $693 in the district, above the statewide average of $628, and more than 2 percent of residents are delinquent on mortgages.
Timeline
Monday, November 2, 2026: Urban Institute releases the hardship report.
Seasonal Patterns
The Urban Institute's True Cost of Economic Security threshold measures how much income households need to participate fully in today's economy, and this report applies that framework to a single congressional district. Its findings place the 3rd District above both the statewide and national shares of residents below the line.
Residents of the 3rd District face slightly lower grocery and gas costs than the statewide average, but higher health insurance premiums of $693 a month. Households already stretched by these expenses may find less room in their monthly budgets.
The takeaway
Economic hardship in Washington's 3rd District is measured at 50 percent, a figure that reflects costs for essentials like food, fuel and health coverage. Residents facing these pressures may benefit from reviewing monthly budgets against regional cost benchmarks.
Further reading
Explore more on Employment coverage across Washington state.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Columbian.
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