Kelso is a city located in Cowlitz County Washington. Kelso has a 2024 population of 12,620. It is also the county seat of Cowlitz County. Kelso is currently declining at a rate of -0.22% annually and its population has decreased by -0.87% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 12,731 in 2020.
The average household income in Kelso is $66,829 with a poverty rate of 20%. The median age in Kelso is 37.3 years: 34.7 years for males, and 40.1 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Kelso was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 10,590 | 83.64% |
| Two or more races | 1,126 | 8.89% |
| Native American | 402 | 3.18% |
| Other race | 213 | 1.68% |
| Black or African American | 191 | 1.51% |
| Asian | 102 | 0.81% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 37 | 0.29% |
White
Two or more races
Native American
Other race
Black or African American
Asian
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 5,280 | 2.39 | 57 | 43 |
| Married | 2,113 | 2.92 | 72.4 | 27.6 |
| Non Family | 1,866 | 1.18 | 42.8 | 57.2 |
| Female | 858 | 3.3 | 48.7 | 51.3 |
| Male | 443 | 3.21 | 59.8 | 40.2 |
2.87
Average Family Size
2.39
Average Household Size
57.0%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 749 | 8.52% |
| Associates Degree | 1,092 | 12.41% |
| Bachelors Degree | 811 | 9.22% |
| Graduate Degree | 190 | 2.16% |
| High School Graduate | 2,777 | 31.57% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 462 | 5.25% |
| Some College | 2,715 | 30.87% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 7,262 | 6,367 | 914 |
| Hispanic | 830 | 559 | 11 |
| 2+ Races | 640 | 608 | 31 |
| Other Race | 149 | 81 | 0 |
| Native American | 115 | 28 | 0 |
| Asian | 102 | 102 | 45 |
| Black | 94 | 94 | 0 |
| Islander | 32 | 0 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among black people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 44.12%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $43,125 | $61,071 | $37,917 |
| Graduate Degree | $73,560 | $73,152 | $101,563 |
| High School Graduate | $32,744 | $35,893 | $30,446 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $33,750 | $41,635 | $0 |
| Overall | $34,679 | $42,798 | $32,933 |
| Some College | $36,946 | $50,271 | $34,586 |
$34,679
Average Earnings
$42,798
Average Male
$32,933
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
90.47% of Kelso residents speak only English, while 9.53% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 8.43% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 9,399 | 1,757 | 18.69% |
| Hispanic | 2,036 | 574 | 28.19% |
| Native | 402 | 337 | 83.83% |
| Multiple | 1,126 | 177 | 15.72% |
| Other | 209 | 15 | 7.18% |
| Black | 191 | 14 | 7.33% |
| Asian | 102 | 5 | 4.9% |
| Islander | 37 | 3 | 8.11% |
20%
Overall Poverty Rate
16.78%
Male Poverty Rate
23.43%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Kelso is Native, with 83.83% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Kelso is Asian, with 4.9% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.14%. Among those working part-time, it was 21.06%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 27.06%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 29.98% |
| High School | 21.28% |
| Some College | 12.9% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 9.99% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 28.17% |
| Male Unemployed | 25.69% |
| Female Employed | 13.86% |
| Male Employed | 3.84% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $68,160 | $74,833 |
| Households | $59,405 | $66,829 |
| Married Families | $78,021 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $37,991 | $45,980 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
43.5%
Overall Marriage Rate
44.8%
Male Marriage Rate
42.3%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 45-54, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
1,155
Number of Veterans
1,093
Male Veterans
62
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Second Gulf War | 269 |
| Vietnam | 238 |
| Korea | 68 |
| First Gulf War | 60 |
| World War II | 48 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 55 to 64 | 391 |
| 75+ | 287 |
| 35 to 54 | 192 |
| 18 to 34 | 173 |
| 65 to 74 | 112 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1,114 | 12.92% |
| Hispanic | 40 | 3.45% |
| 2+ Races | 35 | 4.81% |
| Native American | 6 | 5.22% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
0%
Veteran Poverty Rate
39.31%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
59.4%
Labor Force Participation
55.9%
Employment Rate
6%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
51.56%
Born in Kelso
93.91%
Native Born
6.09%
Foreign Born
5.32%
Non Citizen
0.77%
Naturalized
93.91% of Kelso residents were born in the United States, with 51.56% having been born in Washington. 5.32% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 12,482 | -27 | -0.22% |
| 2028 | 12,509 | -28 | -0.22% |
| 2027 | 12,537 | -28 | -0.22% |
| 2026 | 12,565 | -27 | -0.21% |
| 2025 | 12,592 | -28 | -0.22% |
| 2024 | 12,620 | -28 | -0.22% |
| 2023 | 12,648 | -58 | -0.46% |
| 2022 | 12,706 | -39 | -0.31% |
| 2021 | 12,745 | 14 | 0.11% |
| 2020 | 12,731 | 338 | 2.73% |
| 2019 | 12,393 | 117 | 0.95% |
| 2018 | 12,276 | 150 | 1.24% |
| 2017 | 12,126 | 155 | 1.29% |
| 2016 | 11,971 | 155 | 1.31% |
| 2015 | 11,816 | 92 | 0.78% |
| 2014 | 11,724 | -6 | -0.05% |
| 2013 | 11,730 | -46 | -0.39% |
| 2012 | 11,776 | -95 | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 11,871 | -31 | -0.26% |
| 2010 | 11,902 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 11,895 | 75 | 0.63% |
| 1990 | 11,820 | 691 | 6.21% |
| 1980 | 11,129 | 833 | 8.09% |
| 1970 | 10,296 | 1,917 | 22.88% |
| 1960 | 8,379 | 1,034 | 14.08% |
| 1950 | 7,345 | 596 | 8.83% |
| 1940 | 6,749 | 489 | 7.81% |
| 1930 | 6,260 | -6,222 | -49.85% |