The Journal's Ben Casselman reports:

Remember the days when we were all buying huge houses, driving SUVs and complaining about the price of gas? You know, 2007?

The Census Bureau is out today with a pretty good picture of life back in those heady days. It’s the annual Statistical Abstract of the United States, a massive compilation of data on everything from education to law enforcement to recreation. It’s always full of interesting tidbits, but this year’s report is especially striking because of how much has changed since the data were collected, not least in the energy sector.

Take transportation. Americans used 8 percent more energy on transportation in 2007 than in 2003. Between 2002 and 2006—the most recent data available—they drove 6 percent more miles in a year, and drove 13 percent more miles in SUVs, pickups and vans. All that driving used 175 billion gallons of fuel.

We don’t yet know what those numbers will look like in 2008, but it’s a good bet they’ll be lower. As Ana Campoy reported yesterday, Americans are driving less.