City · Washington
Kalama, Washington
Kalama, city, in Cowlitz County, Washington. Kalama had 3,165 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 6.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,959 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 3,050 (±36). GEOID 5334645.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
3,165
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,959 · ACS 2020-2024: 3,050 ±36
Median household income
$102,026
±$23,405 (90% margin)
Washington: $98,141
Median home value
$471,500
±$53,034 (90% margin)
Washington: $564,600
Median gross rent
not published
Washington: $1,760
Where is Kalama and what county is it in?
Kalama is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington. It covers 3.6 square miles of land, 821 residents per square mile in 2020.
Kalama is in the Longview-Kelso, WA metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Kalama, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 3,165 people lived in Kalama on July 1, 2025, up 6.9% since 2020, faster than Washington (+3.8%). The 2020 Census counted 2,959 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 3,050 (±36).
| Measure | Kalama | Cowlitz County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,050 ±36 | 112,360 | +421 |
| Households | 1,326 ±136 | 43,943 | +211 |
| Average household size | 2.30 ±0.24 | 2.53 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,352 ±130 | 46,422 | no clear change |
Kalama's population since 2000
From 1,783 in 2000 to 3,165 in 2025: up 77.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Kalama as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Kalama?
The median resident of Kalama is 50.6 years old; 20.7% are under 18 and 19.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 74.9%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 12.6%. 6.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Kalama | Cowlitz County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.6 ±7.3 | 41.5 | +8.5 |
| Under 18 years | 20.7% ±6.2 pts | 22.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 19.3% ±5.3 pts | 19.8% | – |
| Male | 54.2% ±4.3 pts | 49.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 12.6% ±7.6 pts | 10.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 74.9% ±9.7 pts | 79.6% | −15.9 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 1.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 12.1% ±9.0 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 6.0% ±3.1 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 12.4% ±7.8 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.3% ±3.5 pts | 10.3% | – |
| With a disability | 17.6% ±6.4 pts | 20.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.1% ±3.7 pts | 6.2% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.6% ±3.9 pts | 89.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 19.3% ±9.1 pts | 17.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.2% ±3.8 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.2% ±6.8 pts | 88.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.8% ±1.9 pts | 2.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Kalama earn?
Half of Kalama's 1,326 households earn less than $102,026 a year (±$23,405), against $76,531 in Cowlitz County and $98,141 in Washington. In 2015-2019 it was $77,496 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 13.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Kalama | Cowlitz County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $102,026 ±$23,405 | $76,531 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $113,352 ±$20,566 | $95,669 | – |
| Per capita income | $43,652 ±$8,226 | $38,105 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 13.4% ±6.7 pts | 12.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 16.0% ±14.1 pts | 15.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 13.1% ±6.7 pts | 17.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.5% ±5.5 pts | 95.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.1% ±6.2 pts | 91.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Kalama?
Owners occupy 65.3% of Kalama's occupied homes and renters 34.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $471,500 by its owner (±$53,034).
| Measure | Kalama | Cowlitz County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $471,500 ±$53,034 | $397,500 | +$166,042 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 25.4% ±26.0 pts | 41.1% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,317 ±$349 | $1,949 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 65.3% ±16.7 pts | 68.0% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 34.7% ±16.7 pts | 32.0% | – |
| Housing units | 1,352 ±130 | 46,422 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±4.5 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.6% ±7.6 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 59.8% ±15.6 pts | 69.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 12.3% ±6.3 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 3.0% ±2.9 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 33.9% ±16.3 pts | 7.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 11.6% ±6.5 pts | 13.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.0% ±5.6 pts | 6.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Kalama building?
Builders took permits for 5 new housing units in Kalama in 2025 (5 in single-family houses), 1.6 per 1,000 residents against 4.4 across Washington.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Kalama work and get to work?
86.4% of Kalama's workers drive alone and 6.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 24.3 minutes.
| Measure | Kalama | Cowlitz County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 52.2% ±5.8 pts | 56.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.3% ±2.1 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 86.4% ±5.9 pts | 81.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 3.7% ±3.6 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±3.0 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 3.6% ±4.1 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.3% ±3.5 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.3 min ±4.6 | 26.1 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Kalama?
No census tract lies mostly in Kalama; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 16.01Cowlitz County | 4,339 | $100,991 |
| Tract 16.02Cowlitz County | 2,951 | $141,449 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Kalama) · Census block assignment files
How does Kalama compare with other places in Washington?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Kalama is the 6,161st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 143rd-most populous of 281 in Washington.
Kalama ranks 152nd of 387 places in Washington with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 143rd | 281 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 58th | 203 |
| Residents per square mile | 281st | 394 |
| Median household income | 152nd | 387 |
| Per capita income | 211th | 393 |
| Median home value | 215th | 384 |
| Poverty rate | 87th | 281 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 314th | 382 |
| Median age | 37th | 394 |
| Owner-occupied share | 253rd | 388 |
| Work from home | 294th | 307 |
| Travel time to work | 252nd | 394 |
Kalama's figures with every place in Washington (CSV)
Every place in Washington, sortable · Compare Kalama with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Kalama?
17 of the 56 figures for Kalama on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Kalama are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Kalama.