The Town FilesKelso, Washington
City in Cowlitz County · population 12,720 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $337,600
- Household income
- $66,751
- Jan low / Jul high
- 35° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 39.9
Kelso is a city of 12,720 people in Cowlitz County, Washington. The median home is worth $337,600, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks more walkable than 88% of Washington towns, easier by car than 86% of Washington towns, more vibrant than 78% of Washington towns.
How Kelso ranks
Percentile among Washington towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Washington towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Kelso is worth $337,600, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 5.1 times the median household income of $66,751, which is more affordable than 57% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,220 a month. 56.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kelso | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $337,600 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,220 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $66,751 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.1× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 56.1% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1963 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Kelso
| People | Kelso | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.9 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.3% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.5% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.0% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 11.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.6% | — |
| Work from home | 5.6% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 20.8 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.4% | 93.9% |
Weather in Kelso
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 35.1°F. About 48.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.4 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 41 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kelso since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on October 23, 2014 about 2.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 28, 2024.
Severe weather in Cowlitz County since 1996
Cowlitz County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, biological, earthquake.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Flood | DR-4906: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 28, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4775: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 29, 2022 | Flood | DR-4650: Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding |
| April 8, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4593: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Cowlitz County
Cowlitz County had 41,235 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $67,600 a year. Unemployment was 5.1% in 2023; in Kelso itself the ACS puts it at 6.6%.
Public schools in Kelso
12 public schools with 4,710 students, about 16.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kelso High School | 9-12 | 1,379 | 18.1 |
| Lexington Elementary | K-5 | 803 | 14.6 |
| Huntington Middle School | 6-8 | 567 | 18.9 |
| Coweeman Middle School | 6-8 | 510 | 18.9 |
| Butler Acres Elementary | K-5 | 403 | 14.9 |
| Wallace Elementary | PK-5 | 386 | 15.4 |
| Barnes Elementary | K-5 | 322 | 12.9 |
| Rose Valley Elementary | K-5 | 167 | 15.2 |
| Carrolls Elementary | K-5 | 101 | 14.4 |
| Kelso Goal Oriented Learning Design | 9-12 | 36 | — |
| Special Education | PK-12 | 28 | — |
| Loowit High School | 6-12 | 8 | — |
Towns near Kelso
- Longview, WA4.2 mi · 37,818 people · home $361,600
- Lexington, WA5.2 mi · 3,834 people · home $359,900
- Longview Heights, WA5.4 mi · 4,033 people · home $456,700
- Kalama, WA7.2 mi · 2,959 people · home $471,500
- Woodland, WA15.1 mi · 6,531 people · home $438,800
- St. Helens, OR18.3 mi · 13,817 people · home $394,200
- La Center, WA20.4 mi · 3,424 people · home $584,600
- Ridgefield, WA23.1 mi · 10,319 people · home $613,500
Kelso questions
Is Kelso, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kelso scores better for retirees than 17% of Washington towns and quieter than 27%. 17.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.9).
How much does a house cost in Kelso?
The median owner-occupied home in Kelso is valued at $337,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,751, so homes cost about 5.1 times income. Median rent is $1,220 a month.
What is the weather like in Kelso?
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 35.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.1 inches of precipitation a year and 2.4 inches of snow.
Does Kelso get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kelso since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on October 23, 2014. The typical Washington town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)