City · Washington
Kelso, Washington
Kelso, city, in Cowlitz County, Washington. Kelso had 12,801 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.7% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 12,720 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 12,684 (±62). GEOID 5335065.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
12,801
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 12,720 · ACS 2020-2024: 12,684 ±62
Median household income
$66,751
±$5,488 (90% margin)
Washington: $98,141
Median home value
$337,600
±$21,416 (90% margin)
Washington: $564,600
Median gross rent
$1,220
±$69 (90% margin)
Washington: $1,760
Where is Kelso and what county is it in?
Kelso is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington. It covers 8.1 square miles of land, 1,564 residents per square mile in 2020.
Kelso 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 Kelso, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 12,801 people lived in Kelso on July 1, 2025, up 0.7% since 2020, slower than Washington (+3.8%). The 2020 Census counted 12,720 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 12,684 (±62).
| Measure | Kelso | Cowlitz County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 12,684 ±62 | 112,360 | +561 |
| Households | 5,435 ±272 | 43,943 | +872 |
| Average household size | 2.32 ±0.11 | 2.53 | −0.33 |
| Housing units | 5,656 ±287 | 46,422 | +892 |
Kelso's population since 2000
From 11,895 in 2000 to 12,801 in 2025: up 7.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Kelso 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 Kelso?
The median resident of Kelso is 39.9 years old; 19.7% are under 18 and 17.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 75.4%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 10.3%. 4.6% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Kelso | Cowlitz County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.9 ±3.7 | 41.5 | +4.7 |
| Under 18 years | 19.7% ±2.5 pts | 22.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 17.3% ±3.0 pts | 19.8% | – |
| Male | 50.1% ±2.9 pts | 49.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 10.3% ±3.5 pts | 10.5% | −6.5 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 75.4% ±4.2 pts | 79.6% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.9% ±1.2 pts | 0.6% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±0.6 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 | 1.7% ±1.5 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 9.4% ±2.8 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.6% ±2.1 pts | 4.3% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.8% ±2.4 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 11.3% ±2.5 pts | 10.3% | – |
| With a disability | 20.7% ±3.9 pts | 20.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 9.6% ±2.9 pts | 6.2% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 88.2% ±3.2 pts | 89.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 12.5% ±3.0 pts | 17.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.0% ±1.3 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 85.2% ±4.7 pts | 88.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.1% ±0.7 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 Kelso earn?
Half of Kelso's 5,435 households earn less than $66,751 a year (±$5,488), against $76,531 in Cowlitz County and $98,141 in Washington. In 2015-2019 the median was $48,051 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $18,700 after inflation. 12.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Kelso | Cowlitz County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $66,751 ±$5,488 | $76,531 | +$18,700 |
| Mean household income | $80,176 ±$5,749 | $95,669 | – |
| Per capita income | $35,246 ±$2,382 | $38,105 | +$10,610 |
| People below the poverty line | 12.0% ±4.1 pts | 12.2% | −11.7 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 15.9% ±10.8 pts | 15.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 21.0% ±4.1 pts | 17.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.1% ±2.4 pts | 95.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.4% ±3.1 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 Kelso?
Owners occupy 56.1% of Kelso's occupied homes and renters 43.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $337,600 by its owner (±$21,416). The median renter pays $1,220 a month including utilities, and 39.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Kelso | Cowlitz County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $337,600 ±$21,416 | $397,500 | +$155,334 |
| Median gross rent | $1,220 ±$69 | $1,206 | +$195 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 39.9% ±7.8 pts | 41.1% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,782 ±$119 | $1,949 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 56.1% ±5.7 pts | 68.0% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 43.9% ±5.7 pts | 32.0% | – |
| Housing units | 5,656 ±287 | 46,422 | +892 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.1% ±3.0 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 63.9% ±5.6 pts | 69.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 5.0% ±1.5 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.2% ±2.5 pts | 7.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 23.3% ±4.9 pts | 13.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.7% ±2.5 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 Kelso building?
Builders took permits for 31 new housing units in Kelso in 2025 (27 in single-family houses), 2.4 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 Kelso work and get to work?
84.5% of Kelso's workers drive alone and 5.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 20.8 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 6.6%.
| Measure | Kelso | Cowlitz County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 64.3% ±4.8 pts | 56.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.6% ±2.8 pts | 5.9% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 84.5% ±4.2 pts | 81.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.7% ±3.0 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.4% ±0.4 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 2.4% ±2.2 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.6% ±2.2 pts | 8.2% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.8 min ±2.5 | 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 Kelso?
3 census tracts lie mostly in Kelso, and 5 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $50,694 (Tract 10) to $87,772 (Tract 12).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 11Cowlitz County | 5,798 | $66,325 |
| Tract 12Cowlitz County | 4,798 | $87,772 |
| Tract 13Cowlitz County | 3,972 | $64,183 |
| Tract 10Cowlitz County | 1,269 | $50,694 |
| Tract 21Cowlitz County | 3,839 | $31,373 |
| Tract 8.01Cowlitz County | 3,774 | $99,553 |
| Tract 17Cowlitz County | 6,152 | $95,472 |
| Tract 9800Cowlitz County | 894 | $31,591 |
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 Kelso) · Census block assignment files
How does Kelso compare with other places in Washington?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Kelso is the 2,700th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 79th-most populous of 281 in Washington.
Kelso ranks 321st 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 | 79th | 281 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 148th | 203 |
| Residents per square mile | 184th | 394 |
| Median household income | 321st | 387 |
| Per capita income | 299th | 393 |
| Median home value | 322nd | 384 |
| Median gross rent | 258th | 351 |
| Poverty rate | 114th | 281 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 362nd | 382 |
| Median age | 189th | 394 |
| Owner-occupied share | 331st | 388 |
| Work from home | 300th | 307 |
| Travel time to work | 315th | 394 |
Kelso's figures with every place in Washington (CSV)
Every place in Washington, sortable · Compare Kelso 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 Kelso?
10 of the 57 figures for Kelso 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 Kelso 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 Kelso.