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COUNTY

Cowlitz County

Washington · 114,885 residents (2025 est.) · 1,141.159 sq mi
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The short version

Cowlitz County has roughly average household income, with a median household income of $76,531. Population has grown 21% since 2000. 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $397,500. It sits in the top 10% of US counties for household income.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 74%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
112,360
+21%since 2000
from 92,948 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
98 / sq mi
+13%since 2009
from 88 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
41.5
+12%since 2000
from 36.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:114,885 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
79K88K97K106K115K1990201020202024Cowlitz County
2024112K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.7%(6,390)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.1%(6,884)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.7%(7,523)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196%(6,728)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.2%(5,889)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.7%(14,288)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.4%(13,988)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412%(13,455)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.3%(14,985)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.7%(13,167)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 846.1%(6,801)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2%(2,262)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$76,531
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $39,797 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$38,105
+105%since 2000
from $18,583 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
50.9%
+24.9 ptssince 2009
from 26.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
12.2%
−1.8 ptssince 2000
from 14.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.425
+1%since 2010
from 0.420 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade13.2%
US avg: 9.9%
Information12.9%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade8.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance7.8%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical6.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services4.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration3%
US avg: 4.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.5%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction2.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Transportation & warehousing1.8%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services1.2%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$397,500
+74%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $125,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,206
+28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $518 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
68.0%
+0.3 ptssince 2000
from 67.6% in 2000
32.0% rent
Vacancy rate
5.3%
−2.5 ptssince 2009
from 7.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
26.4%
−2.7 ptssince 2009
from 29.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
46.5%
−3.5 ptssince 2009
from 50.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
5.2
+31%since 2009
from 4.0 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
62
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Cowlitz County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic89.9%(83,571)
Black0.5%(448)
Hispanic / Latino4.6%(4,231)
Asian1.3%(1,195)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic79.6%(89,475)
Black0.6%(722)
Hispanic / Latino10.5%(11,775)
Asian1.2%(1,312)
Other8.1%(9,076)
Diversity Score
44
+55%since 2009
from 28 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
20
−13%since 2020
from 23 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican8%(8,991)
Spaniard0.6%(706)
Guatemalan0.3%(378)
Colombian0.2%(251)
Puerto Rican0.2%(180)
Salvadoran0.1%(102)
Dominican0.1%(100)
Cuban0.1%(96)
Nicaraguan0.1%(79)
Honduran0%(51)
+ 2 more hispanic origin groups with data
Peruvian0%(36)
Argentine0%(35)
Asian origin
Filipino0.4%(459)
Japanese0.1%(161)
Cambodian0.1%(161)
Chinese0.1%(144)
Vietnamese0.1%(129)
Korean0.1%(117)
Mongolian0%(12)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.1%(152)
Guamanian0.1%(59)
Fijian0.1%(57)
Tongan0%(38)
Samoan0%(10)
Ancestry
German16.8%(18,826)
English13.8%(15,548)
Irish11%(12,400)
American4.9%(5,547)
Norwegian4.9%(5,453)
Scottish3.1%(3,437)
Italian2.9%(3,289)
Swedish2.3%(2,591)
French2.3%(2,566)
Dutch1.9%(2,089)
Finnish1.6%(1,792)
Scotch-Irish1.4%(1,530)
+ 34 more ancestry groups with data
Polish1.2%(1,397)
Danish0.7%(807)
Russian0.6%(687)
Swiss0.5%(509)
Welsh0.4%(494)
Croatian0.4%(444)
British0.4%(409)
Portuguese0.3%(309)
Canadian0.3%(296)
Hungarian0.2%(247)
West Indian0.2%(236)
Arab0.2%(193)
Jamaican0.2%(179)
Czech0.1%(164)
Austrian0.1%(156)
Greek0.1%(144)
Ukrainian0.1%(122)
Belgian0.1%(114)
Lebanese0.1%(91)
Lithuanian0.1%(85)
Brazilian0.1%(82)
Slovak0.1%(74)
Romanian0.1%(64)
Nigerian0%(50)
Latvian0%(40)
Slovene0%(38)
Armenian0%(29)
Iranian0%(28)
Turkish0%(12)
Serbian0%(7)
Kenyan0%(7)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest Mexican population · Largest American population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
17.6%
+4.3 ptssince 2000
from 13.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
89.9%
+6.7 ptssince 2000
from 83.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
5.7%
+0.8 ptssince 2000
from 4.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
26.1 min
+75%since 2000
from 14.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
81.5%
+2.3 ptssince 2009
from 79.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.1%
−5.7 ptssince 2009
from 13.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.4%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
8.2%
+5.1 ptssince 2009
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.9%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
6.2%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 6.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.9%
−5.7 ptssince 2011
from 11.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
56.7%
−1.7 ptssince 2011
from 58.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
13.9%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 12.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
32.1%
−24.2 ptssince 2009
from 56.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.9%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 49.9% in 2009
Female
50.1%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 50.1% in 2009
Foreign born
4.3%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
10.3%
−39.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
20.2%
+0.7 ptssince 2012
from 19.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
6.2%
−80.2 ptssince 2013
from 86.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
91.0%
+13.3 ptssince 2017
from 77.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
92.1%
−0.4 ptssince 2016
from 92.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
5.6%
+0.8 ptssince 2016
from 4.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married33%(14,947)
Married51.9%(23,514)
Widowed3.8%(1,706)
Divorced11.4%(5,178)
Women 15+
Never married25.1%(11,615)
Married50.6%(23,406)
Widowed9.2%(4,242)
Divorced15%(6,955)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Head to head

Compare Cowlitz County to nearby counties

COWLITZ COUNTY VS
Columbia County
Income$87,458+14%
Home value$421,600+6%
Population54,091−53%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COWLITZ COUNTY VS
Lewis County
Income$74,796−2%
Home value$385,800−3%
Population88,062−23%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COWLITZ COUNTY VS
Clark County
Income$97,536+27%
Home value$522,900+32%
Population532,119+363%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COWLITZ COUNTY VS
Wahkiakum County
Income$62,653−18%
Home value$396,800same
Population4,873−96%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Cowlitz County, Washington?

Cowlitz County, Washington has about 112,360 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Cowlitz County, Washington?

The typical household in Cowlitz County, Washington earns about $76,531 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Cowlitz County, Washington expensive?

In Cowlitz County, Washington, the median home is worth about $397,500, and the typical rent is about $1,206 a month.

How educated are people in Cowlitz County, Washington?

About 17.6% of adults age 25 and over in Cowlitz County, Washington hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Cowlitz County, Washington?

About 12.2% of people in Cowlitz County, Washington live below the federal poverty line.

Has Cowlitz County, Washington grown since 1990?

Yes, Cowlitz County, Washington has grown since 1990. The population has added about 30,241 residents, a change of about 37 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

30 census tracts (top 20 by population)
Census Tract 15.03Census Tract 17Census Tract 11Census Tract 12Census Tract 5.02Census Tract 20.03Census Tract 19Census Tract 9.01Census Tract 16.01Census Tract 6.01Census Tract 15.01Census Tract 4Census Tract 13Census Tract 15.04Census Tract 21Census Tract 8.01Census Tract 7.06Census Tract 20.01Census Tract 7.05Census Tract 8.02
10 ZIP codes
ZIP 98632ZIP 98626ZIP 98674ZIP 98611ZIP 98625ZIP 98645ZIP 98603ZIP 98649ZIP 98581ZIP 98609
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →