What is the median rent in Kelso, WA?
The median gross rent in Kelso, WA is $1,220 (±$69) a month, according to the US Census Bureau’s 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
That is across 2,344 rented homes; gross rent is the contract rent plus the utilities and fuels a renter pays separately.
In Kelso, the median gross rent went from $833 in 2015–2019 to $1,220 in 2020–2024 (+46.5%).
Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose faster than prices: a measurable increase after inflation.
Figures last updated on .
- Median gross rent
- $1,220 (±$69)
- Rented homes
- 2,344 (±333)
- $2,000 or more
- 13.8%
- Since 2015–2019
- +46.5%
How much rent costs in Kelso
| Monthly gross rent | Kelso | Cowlitz County | Washington | United States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than $500 | 4.7% (±4.2 points) | 6.6% | 4.6% | 6.3% |
| $500 to $999 | 20.3% (±5.5 points) | 25.7% | 10.4% | 20.2% |
| $1,000 to $1,499 | 49.9% (±9.0 points) | 37.3% | 21.4% | 28.1% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 11.3% (±5.5 points) | 17.1% | 26.2% | 21.1% |
| $2,000 to $2,499 | 5.1% (±2.3 points) | 6.7% | 18.7% | 12.0% |
| $2,500 to $2,999 | 1.3% (±1.4 points) | 2.5% | 9.1% | 5.5% |
| $3,000 or more | 7.4% (±4.6 points) | 4.2% | 9.5% | 6.8% |
The most common range is $1,000 to $1,499, paid by 49.9% of renting households.
13.8% of rented homes in Kelso cost $2,000 or more a month.
Kelso against Cowlitz County, its state and the nation
| Kelso | Cowlitz County | Washington | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,220 (±$69) | $1,206 (±$39) | $1,760 (±$7) | $1,413 |
| Rented homes paying rent | 2,344 (±333) | 13,449 (±706) | 1,070,508 (±7,137) | 42,849,984 |
In Kelso, median gross rent is not measurably different from Cowlitz County ($1,206).
It is also lower than in Washington ($1,760).
It is lower than the national figure ($1,413).
In Cowlitz County, Kelso ranks 5 of 7 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest median gross rent.
Statewide, it ranks 275 of 417.
Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.
How rent in Kelso has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $833 (±$81) | $1,220 (±$69) | +46.5% | Up after inflation |
| Households that rent | 50.1% (±5.2 points) | 43.9% (±5.7 points) | −6.2 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.8% (±1.3 points) | 4.1% (±3.0 points) | +3.3 percentage points | Measurable increase |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Median gross rent in places near Kelso
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Compared with this place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kelso | — | $1,220 (±$69) | — |
| Rainier | 4.1 mi | $942 (±$150) | Lower |
| Beacon Hill | 4.1 mi | $806 (±$792) | Not measurably different |
| Longview | 4.2 mi | $1,137 (±$46) | Lower |
| Lexington | 5.2 mi | $1,607 (±$423) | Not measurably different |
| Longview Heights | 5.4 mi | $1,346 (±$173) | Not measurably different |
| Castle Rock | 11 mi | $1,222 (±$214) | Not measurably different |
| Woodland | 15 mi | $1,367 (±$375) | Not measurably different |
| Clatskanie | 15 mi | $1,017 (±$472) | Not measurably different |
Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Rainier, OR ($942), Longview, WA ($1,137).
Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.
Median gross rent across Cowlitz County, place by place
| Rank | Place | Median gross rent |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lexington | $1,607 (±$423) |
| 2 | Woodland | $1,367 (±$375) |
| 3 | Longview Heights | $1,346 (±$173) |
| 4 | Castle Rock | $1,222 (±$214) |
| 5 | Kelso | $1,220 (±$69) |
| 6 | Longview | $1,137 (±$46) |
| 7 | Beacon Hill | $806 (±$792) |
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Kelso
What is the average rent in Kelso, WA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Kelso is $1,220 (±$69) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much has rent gone up in Kelso?
In Kelso, the median gross rent went from $833 in 2015–2019 to $1,220 in 2020–2024 (+46.5%).
Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose faster than prices: a measurable increase after inflation.
How many rentals in Kelso cost more than $2,000 a month?
13.8% of rented homes in Kelso have a gross rent of $2,000 or more a month, and 4.7% cost less than $500.
Is rent in Kelso higher than in Cowlitz County?
In Kelso, median gross rent is not measurably different from Cowlitz County ($1,206).
It is also lower than in Washington ($1,760).
It is lower than the national figure ($1,413).
Is this the rent for an apartment listed today?
No: these are rents households reported paying across 2020–2024, not asking rents for vacant homes, which usually run higher.
Sources
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Kelso city, Washington
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Kelso city, Washington
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Kelso city, Washington
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Kelso city, Washington (place:35065, in state:53).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B25064_001E, B25064_001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP04_0126E, DP04_0126M, DP04_0127PE, DP04_0127PM, DP04_0128PE, DP04_0128PM, DP04_0129PE, DP04_0129PM, DP04_0130PE, DP04_0130PM, DP04_0131PE, DP04_0131PM, DP04_0132PE, DP04_0132PM, DP04_0133PE, DP04_0133PM
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .
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