Kelso is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, home to about 12,684 people across 8.1 square miles. Its ZIP code is 98626, and parts of 98632 are in Kelso too.
Homes sold for a median of $269 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Kelso; also Lexington and Beacon Hill
Mostly Longview; part is in Kelso
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Kelso. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Kelso’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Kelso well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Portland International Airport (PDX)41 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Portland, OR44 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Kelso; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Kelso had 12,720 residents in the 2020 census, up 7% since 2000.
It’s the 110th largest of 628 towns in Washington by population.
Cowlitz County grew from 7,877 residents in 1900 to 110,730 in 2020.
Cowlitz County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
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.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Longview, WA weather station (about a mile away).
33,796 jobs at 2,309 businesses in Cowlitz County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
117 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Kelso.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Specialist doctors | 6 |
|---|---|
| Dentists | 7 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 6 |
| Mental health providers | 82 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 12 |
| Optometrists | 3 |
| Chiropractors | 1 |
| Pharmacies | 6 |
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.
Parks (9 nearby)
Grocery stores (4 nearby)
Pharmacies (3 nearby)
Libraries (3 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (2 nearby)
Counts are within about 2 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.
Established in 1884.
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Kelso School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Special EducationKelso | Pre-K–12 | 19 | Special Education | 0.2 mi |
| Barnes ElementaryKelso | K–5 | 343 | Public | 0.8 mi |
| Butler Acres ElementaryKelso | K–5 | 426 | Public | 0.4 mi |
| Carrolls ElementaryKelso | K–5 | 107 | Public | 5.7 mi |
| Kelso Virtual AcademyKelso | K–12 | 216 | Public | 0.8 mi |
| Lexington ElementaryKelso | K–5 | 854 | Public | 2.8 mi |
| Rose Valley ElementaryKelso | K–5 | 186 | Public | 5.0 mi |
| Wallace ElementaryKelso | K–5 | 333 | Public | 1.2 mi |
| Coweeman Middle SchoolKelso | 6–8 | 501 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| Huntington Middle SchoolKelso | 6–8 | 559 | Public | 0.4 mi |
| Loowit High SchoolKelso | 6–12 | 14 | Alternative Education | 0.6 mi |
| Kelso Goal Oriented Learning DesignKelso | 9–12 | 12 | Alternative Education | 0.6 mi |
| Kelso High SchoolKelso | 9–12 | 1,390 | Public | 0.6 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Journey Christian SchoolKelso | Pre-K–8 | 60 | Seventh-day Adventist | 3.2 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Longview, Lexington, Longview Heights and Beacon Hill.
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.