How affordable it is to live at the mouth of Columbia depends on all sorts of specific factors and individual decisions. But in general, most data suggest this is a place where most people can get by for far less than they could in nearby metropolitan areas.

    The latest evidence of this came in the form of a study by the Center for Womens Welfare at the University of Washington School of Social Work. According to UW, a working person in Pacific County can meet basic living expenses with a full-time job averaging $7.86 an hour, while Washingtons minimum wage currently is $8.67, rising to $9.04 next year.

    Our areas costs may be low, but so are wages and economic opportunities. Too many local people struggle to pay basic bills. As a general proposition, lots of people around the Columbia estuary just manage to cobble together a living. Sometimes, this is by stringing together several seasonal jobs while drawing unemployment compensation during downtimes.

    Of course whether a low cost of living is good is a judgment call, according to UWs Diana Pearce. While living costs being lower are good on the face of it, it also seems that low cost of living places tend not to have as dynamic economies.

    Another way of putting this would be to say that just getting by can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Younger residents in particular tend to depart in pursuit of more lively opportunities. Relatively less financial and human capital are available to invest in growth.

    Despite this, in our communities a strong argument can be made that a lower cost of living is indeed good. Getting by at an affordable cost in one of Americas most beautiful and historic settings is a major advantage that truly sets us apart from nearly everywhere else on the West Coast.

    A skeptic once observed You cant eat scenery, but the benefits of living near the Columbia go far beyond pretty sunsets. We all receive enormous intangible wages in the form of everything from low-stress commutes to easy access to prime seafood and local produce.

    Its fairly cheap to live here, but we get king-size quality of life for our money. Besides appreciating this more ourselves, we need to do a better job of letting others know about our advantages. This place is a heck of a bargain in many important ways.