Kelso receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Kelso
Longview
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 15%
vs36 · Bottom 12%
Growth
41 · Bottom 33%
vs28 · Bottom 15%
Climate
73 · Top 37%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
28 · Bottom 22%
vs28 · Bottom 22%
Housing affordability
68 · Bottom 31%
vs63 · Bottom 25%
Access
76 · Bottom 18%
vs74 · Bottom 16%
Economic stability
60 · Bottom 48%
vs42 · Bottom 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Kelso | Longview | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,684 | 38,069 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,751 | $61,747 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,246 | $34,290 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,559/sq mi | 2,572/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $337,600 | $361,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,220 | $1,137 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.1% | 55.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.1% | -0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.5% | 16.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.0% | 16.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 24 | 19 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 0.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -35.1% | -20.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 39 mi | 42 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 25.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.9 | 40.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.28 | 17.97 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 62.2% | 64.7% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Kelso
Elevated or high exposure: volcanic activity, earthquake, inland flooding.
Longview
Elevated or high exposure: volcanic activity, earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Kelso, WA · Longview, WA · How this is calculated: methodology