One in three Northwest households makes less than $35,000 a year, before taxes. That’s about 1.6 million households. Now, $35k ain’t bad—and it’s far, far above the federal poverty line, even for a family of four — but most households below that level feel $4 gasoline as a major blow. And especially when fuel costs are sending the price of everything from cat food to a handyman visit into double-digit inflation.

One in four Northwest households makes less than $25,000 a year, before taxes. That’s more than 1 million households.

One in eight Northwest households makes less than $15,000 a year, before taxes. That’s more than a half-million households.

No further comment for now.

Figures are for Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, using 2006 data (the most recent available) from the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. (By state, the percentage of households making less than $35k is WA: 32%; OR: 38%; ID: 40%.) Comparable figures for British Columbia are not available.