Town guide

Kalama, Washington

Kalama is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, home to about 3,050 people across 3.6 square miles. Its ZIP code is 98625.

Homes sold for a median of $278 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.

Population3,050854 per sq mi
Median home value$471,500Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$278Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking8%Latest 3 months

ZIP codes in Kalama

1 ZIP code

Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Kalama. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology

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  • History
  • What it’s like to live there
  • Getting around
  • Things to do

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Around Kalama

Distances

Nearest major airportPortland International Airport (PDX)31 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Portland, OR34 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Los Angeles, CA860 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of Kalama; driving is longer.

Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Who represents Kalama

Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.

Population over time

Kalama had 2,959 residents in the 2020 census, up 66% since 2000.

It’s the 256th largest of 628 towns in Washington by population.

Cowlitz County grew from 7,877 residents in 1900 to 110,730 in 2020.

Kalama population by census2000: 1,783, 2010: 2,344, 2020: 2,9591,78320002,34420102,9592020

Cowlitz County, 1900–2020

Cowlitz County population, 1900 to 20201900: 7,877, 1910: 12,561, 1920: 11,791, 1930: 31,906, 1940: 40,155, 1950: 53,369, 1960: 57,801, 1970: 68,616, 1980: 79,548, 1990: 82,119, 2000: 92,948, 2010: 102,410, 2020: 110,7308K’00’1012K’20’3040K’40’5058K’60’7080K’80’9093K’00’10111K’20

Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).

Weather by month

Average highs peak around 80°F in summer, and winter lows average 35°F. About 48 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near KalamaJan: high 48°F, low 35°F, 6.5 in; Feb: high 52°F, low 35°F, 4.8 in; Mar: high 57°F, low 38°F, 4.9 in; Apr: high 62°F, low 40°F, 4.1 in; May: high 69°F, low 45°F, 3.1 in; Jun: high 73°F, low 50°F, 2 in; Jul: high 79°F, low 53°F, 0.6 in; Aug: high 80°F, low 53°F, 1 in; Sep: high 76°F, low 50°F, 2.3 in; Oct: high 64°F, low 44°F, 4.4 in; Nov: high 53°F, low 39°F, 7.2 in; Dec: high 47°F, low 35°F, 7.1 in48°35°Jan6.552°35°Feb4.857°38°Mar4.962°40°Apr4.169°45°May3.173°50°Jun2.079°53°Jul0.680°53°Aug1.076°50°Sep2.364°44°Oct4.453°39°Nov7.247°35°Dec7.1Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Longview, WA weather station (11 miles away).

Jobs in Cowlitz County

33,796 jobs at 2,309 businesses in Cowlitz County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Cowlitz CountyManufacturing: 7,579 jobs; Health care and social assistance: 5,550 jobs; Retail trade: 5,267 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 3,476 jobs; Construction: 2,646 jobs; Administrative and support: 1,944 jobs; Other services: 1,360 jobs; Transportation and warehousing: 1,358 jobsManufacturing 22% Health care and social assistance 16% Retail trade 16% Hotels and restaurants 10% Construction 8% Administrative and support 6% Other services 4% Transportation and warehousing 4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

7 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Kalama.

Nearest hospitals

  • Peacehealth St. John Medical CenterGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 4 of 5 · Longview10.2 miles
  • Legacy Salmon Creek Medical CenterGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 4 of 5 · Vancouver21.6 miles
  • Peacehealth Southwest Medical CenteGeneral hospital · no emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Vancouver29.0 miles

Providers with an office here

Specialist doctors1
Dentists1
Mental health providers4
Chiropractors1
Pharmacies1

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.

Places in and around Kalama

Parks (4 nearby)

  • Vern Long Lions Park · 1 acres1.2 mi

Grocery stores (2 nearby)

  • Center Market1.4 mi
  • Kalama Shopping Center1.4 mi

Pharmacies (1 nearby)

  • Godfrey's Pharmacy1.4 mi

Libraries (1 nearby)

  • Kalama Public Library1.4 mi

Theaters and performance venues

  • Westin Amphitheater1.5 mi

Counts are within about 1.5 miles of the center of town.

Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.

Schools in Kalama

Public schools here are run by Kalama School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.

Public schools (3)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
Kalama Elem SchoolKalamaK–5525Public1.1 mi
Kalama Middle SchoolKalama6–8266Public1.1 mi
Kalama High SchoolKalama9–12347Public1.1 mi

Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.

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Where Kalama is

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Towns near Kalama

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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.