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City · 12,684 residents · Cowlitz County, Washington

Kelso , Washington

In Kelso, a typical home is worth $337,600 and typical rent is $1,220 a month. Compared with all of Cowlitz County, the typical home value is 15% lower, typical household income is 13% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 12 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $337,600

    15% below the county

    40% below Washington

    • Kelso
    • Cowlitz
    • Washington

  • Typical rent

    $1,220a month

    About the same as the county

    31% below Washington

    • Kelso
    • Cowlitz
    • Washington

  • Typical household income

    $66,751a year

    13% below the county

    32% below Washington

    • Kelso
    • Cowlitz
    • Washington

  • Households that own their home

    56%

    12 points below the county

    8 points below Washington

    • Kelso
    • Cowlitz
    • Washington

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$385,912
about the same as 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,469 a month
4.7% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Kelso is in Cowlitz County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Cowlitz County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Kelso apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. 56% of households in Kelso own their home, against 68% in Cowlitz County.

  2. The typical home in Kelso is worth $337,600, 15% less than in Cowlitz County as a whole ($397,500).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Kelso

What homes there are in Kelso, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

The detached house is still the most common home in Kelso, but it weighs less than in Cowlitz County: 64% against 69%.

Year built

Homes in Kelso are older: the typical year built is 1963; in Cowlitz County, 1976.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

By price, most homes in Kelso sit under the FHA limit for Cowlitz County ($541,287): about 90%.

Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,782 a month

Cowlitz County: $1,949 a month

Without a mortgage

$639 a month

Cowlitz County: $630 a month

Owners with a mortgage

68%

Cowlitz County: 65%

Owning costs less in Kelso: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $1,782 a month; in Cowlitz County, $1,949. Without one, $639.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Kelso rose 128%; in Cowlitz County, it rose 81%.

Since 2015–2019, the typical rent in Kelso rose 47%, more than in Cowlitz County (41%).

The typical household income in Kelso rose 71% over that time; home values changed +128% and rent +47%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureKelsoCowlitz CountyWashingtonUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate3.4%4.5%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.7%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate3.2%3.5%3.4%
People per household 2.322.532.502.53
Drive alone 85%82%63%69%
Carpool 7%8%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate3%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate1%4%3%
Work from home 6%8%20%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutesUnreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Fewer people live in each home here: 2.32 on average, against 2.53 in Cowlitz County.

To get to work, 85% of workers in Kelso drive alone; in Cowlitz County, 82%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Kelso?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Kelso, worth $337,600, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 50% of the typical household income in Kelso, which is $66,751 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $119,157 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Cowlitz County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Kelso. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $11,816 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$2,780

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$331,485
Total interest
$476,929
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $5,701 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,558 a month

  • Tight

    $1,558 to $2,003 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,003 a month

    Your payment · 50%

Compared with the typical household income in Kelso ($66,751 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,780
Principal & interest$2,246
Property tax$245
Home insurance$141
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$149

You need at least $11,816 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Kelso and Cowlitz County

Kelso is in Cowlitz County, Washington. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Kelso's own numbers

Typical home value
$337,600
Typical monthly rent
$1,220
Typical yearly household income
$66,751
Households that own their home
56%
Effective property tax rate
0.87%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Cowlitz County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,398
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+43%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
4%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Cowlitz County.

Everything about Cowlitz County

Buying

Buying a home in Kelso

A typical home in Kelso is worth $337,600: 15% below the county and 40% below Washington. With the typical household income in Kelso ($66,751 a year), a typical home costs 5.1 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Kelso 5.1 years
  • Cowlitz 5.2 years
  • Washington 5.8 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Cowlitz County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Cowlitz County rose 121% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Cowlitz County.

Period County Washington U.S.
Last year (2025) +3.7% +1.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +43% +44% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +121% +113% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Kelso next to Cowlitz County, Washington and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Kelso $337,600
  • Cowlitz $397,500
  • Washington $564,600
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Kelso $1,220
  • Cowlitz $1,206
  • Washington $1,760
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Kelso $66,751
  • Cowlitz $76,531
  • Washington $98,141
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Kelso next to Cowlitz County and Washington
Measure Kelso Cowlitz County Washington U.S.
Typical home value $337,600 $397,500 $564,600 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,220 $1,206 $1,760 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $66,751 $76,531 $98,141 $80,734
Households that own their home 56% 68% 64% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $2,945 $3,245 $4,556 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.87% 0.82% 0.81% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 47% 49% 50% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Cowlitz County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Kelso

For a typical $337,600 home in Kelso, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Kelso's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,780a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $11,816
    Cash to close
    $21,944
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $149

  • Conventional, 5% down $2,718a month

    Down payment
    $16,880
    Cash to close
    $27,008
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $160

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $2,215a month

    Down payment
    $67,520
    Cash to close
    $77,648
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $2,527a month

    Down payment
    $50,640
    Cash to close
    $60,768
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Kelso and for Cowlitz County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Kelso

0.87%of the home’s value each year

$2,945 a year for the typical owner in Kelso.

  • Kelso 0.87%
  • Cowlitz 0.82%
  • Washington 0.81%

What Washington publishes Exemption for people 61 and older or with disabilities (Washington State Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Washington

Flood risk in Cowlitz County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Cowlitz County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
4%
1,716
Of those, with NFIP insurance
31%
County Washington U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 4% 1.6% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 31% 40% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Kelso

Typical rent in Kelso is $1,220 a month: about the same as the county. In Kelso, 47% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Cowlitz County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,398 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $26.88 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Cowlitz County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $974 $18.73 $38,960
1 bedroom $1,124 $21.62 $44,960
2 bedrooms $1,398 $26.88 $55,920
3 bedrooms $1,936 $37.23 $77,440
4 bedrooms $2,337 $44.94 $93,480

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Kelso

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Kelso has 2 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,400 in 98626 to $1,450 in 98632.

2 of the 2 are above the fair market rent for Cowlitz County ($1,398).

  • 98626 $1,400$1,940
  • 98632 $1,450$2,010

2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Kelso when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Kelso

HUD lists 4 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Kelso. These are the largest.

  • Cowlitz Villa 73 Cowlitz Villa, Kelso 98626 116 low-income homes · Run by HA City of Kelso · Average payment: $578 a month · Average wait: 30 months (360) 423-3490
  • Country Run Apartments 1187 Westside Hwy, Kelso 98626 100 homes, 99 low-income · 2 bd: 59 · 3 bd: 36 · 4 bd: 4 · In service since 2000 · For people with disabilities, families, people experiencing homelessness
  • Villa San Martin 2623 Abbotsford Loop, Kelso 98626 26 homes, 25 low-income · 1 bd: 2 · 2 bd: 12 · 3 bd: 11 · 4 bd: 1 · In service since 2006 · For families
  • Cowlitz Terrace 812 S 8th Ave, Kelso 98626 19 homes, 15 low-income · 2 bd: 19 · In service since 1992

See all 14 buildings in Cowlitz County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Kelso

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Cowlitz County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A man shakes hands with the specialist who helped him with his loan, in the kitchen of his new home.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Kelso

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Kelso or Cowlitz County. The ones below are statewide in Washington: they work in Kelso the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Washington

  • Home Advantage Downpayment Assistance

    Statewide in Washington

    Washington state commission 0% second mortgage for 3%, 4% or 5% of the first mortgage, with no monthly payments; you do not need to be a first-time buyer. Offered by Washington State Housing Finance Commission.

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • Covenant Homeownership Program

    Statewide in Washington

    Washington state commission loan with no monthly payments of up to 20% of the price (maximum $150,000) plus closing costs, for first-time buyers whose family lived in Washington before 1968 and belonged to a group affected by housing discrimination, including Hispanic people. Offered by Washington State Housing Finance Commission.

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • House Key Opportunity DPA

    Statewide in Washington

    Washington state commission loan of up to $15,000 at 1% simple interest, with no monthly payments, for the down payment and closing costs of first-time buyers with the House Key Opportunity mortgage. Offered by Washington State Housing Finance Commission.

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Kelso

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Kelso, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Tacoma/ Pierce County Habitat for Humanity

    4824 S Tacoma Way, Tacoma · 78 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 4 more
    253-627-5626x120

  • American Financial Solutions

    500 Pacific Avenue, Bremerton · 101 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Pre-purchase counseling
    • and 1 more
    (888) 864-8699

  • Community Frameworks

    1310 Bertha Ave NW, Bremerton · 101 miles away

    • Home improvement and repairs
    • Workshops for new owners
    • and 2 more
    (360) 842-8059

All counseling agencies in Washington

Help in Spanish near Kelso

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Kelso

HUD’s record names them for Kelso or Cowlitz County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • HA City of Kelso Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (360) 423-3490

One other authority has an office in Cowlitz County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Cowlitz County

These cities are also in Cowlitz County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Cowlitz County Housing in Washington

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Kelso, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Cowlitz County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Kelso.

All guides
A father and mother walk their son by the hand down the sidewalk.

Questions

Housing questions about Kelso

Short answers with the numbers for Kelso and all of Cowlitz County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Kelso?

The typical home value in Kelso is $337,600, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Cowlitz County it is $397,500.

How much does it cost to rent in Kelso?

Typical rent in Kelso is $1,220 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Cowlitz County is $1,398.

What is the FHA loan limit in Kelso?

Kelso uses the FHA limit for all of Cowlitz County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Kelso?

The typical homeowner in Kelso pays $2,945 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.87% of the home’s value; in Cowlitz County, the rate is 0.82%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Kelso?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Cowlitz County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).