Cowlitz County, Washington Demographics 2026

Name: Cowlitz County, Washington Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Cowlitz County, Washington has a population of 112,360, the 12th most populous county in Washington. The median household income is $76,531 and the median home value is $397,500. The poverty rate is 12.2%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Cowlitz County Quick Facts

Population 112,360

Median Household Income $76,531

Median Home Value $397,500

Poverty Rate 12.2%

Unemployment Rate 5.9%

Median Age 41.5 years

Homeownership Rate 68.0%

Affordability Ratio 5.2x

Bachelor's Degree+ 17.6%

High School Graduation 89.9%

Cities/Places 9

Population 112,360 12th of 39

Median Income $76,531 22% lower than state

Poverty Rate 12.2%

Unemployment 5.9%

How Cowlitz County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	111,539	112,360	+0.7%
Median household income	$72,932	$76,531	+4.9%
Median home value	$367,400	$397,500	+8.2%

Median Household Income

Cowlitz

$76,531

$98,141

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Cowlitz

$397,500

$564,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 13.8%

$25K-$50K 18.1%

$50K-$100K 31.6%

$100K+ 36.5%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.7%

$10K-$15K

3.7%

$15K-$20K

3.0%

$20K-$25K

3.5%

$25K-$30K

3.9%

$30K-$35K

3.4%

$35K-$40K

3.4%

$40K-$45K

3.5%

$45K-$50K

4.0%

$50K-$60K

7.4%

$60K-$75K

9.8%

$75K-$100K

14.4%

$100K-$125K

11.9%

$125K-$150K

7.0%

$150K-$200K

10.1%

$200K+

7.5%

Employment

5.9% Unemployment Rate State: 5.1%|National: 5.2%

56.7% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 68.0%

Renter 32.0%

Affordability Index Expensive

5.2x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,206/mo 18.9% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

22.5%

18-34

20.0%

35-54

24.4%

55-74

25.1%

75+

8.1%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 56 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Cowlitz County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Longview	38,069	$61,747	16.1%	$361,600
Kelso	12,684	$66,751	12.0%	$337,600
Lexington	4,413	$101,389	3.5%	$359,900
Longview Heights	4,357	$74,570	11.2%	$456,700
Kalama	3,050	$102,026	13.4%	$471,500
Castle Rock	2,217	$69,639	7.0%	$348,600
Beacon Hill	1,804	$86,806	15.5%	$397,600
Ryderwood	401	$42,639	11.7%	$229,900
Cougar	151	N/A	0.0%	N/A

Explore Washington Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Cowlitz County is located in Washington with a total population of 112,360. It is the 12th most populous county out of 39 in Washington. The county encompasses 9 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cowlitz County is 41.5 years. This is 8% higher than the state median of 38.3 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cowlitz County is $76,531. This is 22% lower than the state median of $98,141. It is also 5% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.2%. This is 23% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. The unemployment rate is 5.9%. This is 16% higher than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $397,500. Housing costs are 30% lower than the state median of $564,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.2x. 68.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 7% higher than the state average of 63.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Cowlitz County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 79.6% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 10.5%. The Black or African American population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 3.9%. The Asian population (1.2%) is well below the state average of 9.7%.

Education

17.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 56% lower than the state rate of 39.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 89.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Cowlitz County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Washington and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Cowlitz County, Washington?

Cowlitz County has a population of 112,360, making it the 12th most populous county in Washington.

What is the median income in Cowlitz County?

The median household income in Cowlitz County is $76,531 with a poverty rate of 12.2%.

How many cities are in Cowlitz County, Washington?

Cowlitz County contains 9 Census-designated places.