United States › Washington › Kelso CITY
Kelso Washington · 12,801 residents (2025 est.) · 8.14 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 12,684 people, Kelso is a city in Washington. 12% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Households here earn about 32% less than in Washington as a whole. 5% of people here were born outside the United States. Owners hold 56% of the housing stock. There are 1,559 people per square mile.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
12% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 103%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 11,895 in 2000
12,801 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,559 / sq mi
+6%since 2009
from 1,474 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 32.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
12K 12K 12K 13K 13K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Kelso Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $66,751
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,722 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,162 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 16.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 19.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.427 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5.5%
Public administration 2.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.8%
Transportation & warehousing 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.4%
Education & health services 0.1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$337,600
+103%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $91,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,220
+32%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $507 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 51.5% in 2000
43.9% rent
from 8.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.39 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 33.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 44.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.8 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 87.2%(10,374)
Hispanic / Latino 6.9%(824)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 75.4%(9,564)
Hispanic / Latino 10.3%(1,305)
from 37 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 18 more ancestry groups with data from 10.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 79.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 73.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 19.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 17.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 56.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 65.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 8.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 22.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 7.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 23.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 18.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 76.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 91.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 80.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 89.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 8.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 34.1%(1,739)
Women 15+
Never married 25.6%(1,382)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 18.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 42.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 9.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 18.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 41.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 51.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 55.3% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 19.8%(227)
Gulf War (1990s) 18.1%(208)
Share of the 1,147 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Kelso Head to head
Compare Kelso to nearby cities KELSO VS
Longview
Income $61,747 −7%
Home value $361,600 +7%
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KELSO VS
St. Helens
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KELSO VS
Ridgefield
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Scappoose
Income $97,708 +46%
Home value $455,700 +35%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Kelso, Washington? Kelso, Washington has about 12,684 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Kelso, Washington? The typical household in Kelso, Washington earns about $66,751 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Kelso, Washington expensive? In Kelso, Washington, the median home is worth about $337,600, and the typical rent is about $1,220 a month.
How educated are people in Kelso, Washington? About 12.5% of adults age 25 and over in Kelso, Washington hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Kelso, Washington? About 12.0% of people in Kelso, Washington live below the federal poverty line.
Has Kelso, Washington grown since 1990? Yes, Kelso, Washington has grown since 1990. The population has added about 864 residents, a change of about 7 percent over that period.
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