Zip code 98626: Kelso, Washington
Boundary is the Census Bureau's ZIP Code Tabulation Area, which closely tracks the postal delivery area.
About 98626
98626 is a small-town zip code in Kelso, Washington (Cowlitz County), covering 135 sq mi of land. About 26,892 people live here, or 200 per square mile. The median resident is 41.5 years old, compared with 38.9 nationally.
The median household earns $75,528 a year, close to the national median of $80,734. 8.3% of residents live below the poverty line (U.S.: 12.5%). A typical home is valued at $368,900, or 4.9 years of median household income (U.S.: 4.1 years), which makes homes about as affordable as the national average for local earners. 69% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners, and renters pay a median of $1,267 a month.
15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S.: 36%). Commuters average 23 minutes each way, and 7% of workers work from home. The most common jobs among working residents are in office and administrative support; transportation and moving goods; and management.
How 98626 compares
- Veterans10.5%91stU.S. 6.2% · WA 7.8%176th of 571 in WA
- 87thWeaknessU.S. 5.2% · WA 5.1%89th of 570 in WA
- Median age41.568thU.S. 38.9 · WA 38.3260th of 571 in WA
- Median earnings per worker$51,44059thU.S. $49,666 · WA $59,959304th of 566 in WA
- Median home value$368,90057thU.S. $332,700 · WA $564,600370th of 536 in WA
- Government workers14.3%55thU.S. 14.5% · WA 16%380th of 570 in WA
- 54thU.S. 17.2% · WA 16.6%346th of 571 in WA
- Residents under 1822.4%53rdU.S. 22% · WA 21.4%220th of 571 in WA
- 52ndU.S. 8.4% · WA 6.3%202nd of 567 in WA
- Homeownership rate68.5%50thU.S. 65.2% · WA 63.8%352nd of 563 in WA
- 48thU.S. 51.1% · WA 49.9%219th of 541 in WA
- 45thU.S. 10% · WA 9.6%338th of 570 in WA
- Median household income$75,52844thU.S. $80,734 · WA $98,141344th of 541 in WA
- Population26,89243rdU.S. 334,922,499 · WA 7,816,116127th of 571 in WA
- 43rdU.S. 9.7% · WA 9.3%250th of 570 in WA
- Per capita income$37,36442ndU.S. $44,673 · WA $53,744378th of 570 in WA
- Median gross rent$1,26741stU.S. $1,413 · WA $1,760274th of 475 in WA
- Broadband access90.7%39thU.S. 91% · WA 93.6%363rd of 563 in WA
- Poverty rate8.3%34thU.S. 12.5% · WA 9.9%337th of 563 in WA
- Average commute23 min29thU.S. 26.4 min · WA 26.6 min363rd of 546 in WA
- 26thU.S. 61.4 · WA 56.5366th of 571 in WA
- 25thU.S. 0.483 · WA 0.469344th of 560 in WA
- Population density200/sq mi21stU.S. 95/sq mi · WA 118/sq mi268th of 571 in WA
- Housing vacancy3.9%21stU.S. 10.1% · WA 7.3%442nd of 563 in WA
- Work from home7.2%18thU.S. 15.1% · WA 19.8%455th of 570 in WA
- 18thU.S. 14.1% · WA 15.4%431st of 571 in WA
- 9thWeaknessU.S. 35.7% · WA 39.6%493rd of 571 in WA
- Tech workers0.7%8thU.S. 3.8% · WA 6.7%396th of 570 in WA
| Measure | 98626 | Cowlitz | WA | U.S. | National percentile | Rank in WA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veterans | 10.5% | 10.3% | 7.8% | 6.2% | 176th of 571 | |
| Unemployment rateWeakness | 8.1% | 5.9% | 5.1% | 5.2% | 89th of 570 | |
| Median age | 41.5 | 41.5 | 38.3 | 38.9 | 260th of 571 | |
| Median earnings per worker | $51,440 | $49,992 | $59,959 | $49,666 | 304th of 566 | |
| Median home value | $368,900 | $397,500 | $564,600 | $332,700 | 370th of 536 | |
| Government workers | 14.3% | 15% | 16% | 14.5% | 380th of 570 | |
| Residents 65 and older | 17.1% | 19.8% | 16.6% | 17.2% | 346th of 571 | |
| Residents under 18 | 22.4% | 22.5% | 21.4% | 22% | 220th of 571 | |
| Uninsured rate | 7% | 6.2% | 6.3% | 8.4% | 202nd of 567 | |
| Homeownership rate | 68.5% | 68% | 63.8% | 65.2% | 352nd of 563 | |
| Rent-burdened renters | 50.3% | 49.3% | 49.9% | 51.1% | 219th of 541 | |
| Self-employed workers | 8.9% | 9.9% | 9.6% | 10% | 338th of 570 | |
| Median household income | $75,528 | $76,531 | $98,141 | $80,734 | 344th of 541 | |
| Population | 26,892 | 112,360 | 7,816,116 | 334,922,499 | 127th of 571 | |
| Healthcare workers | 9% | 10.2% | 9.3% | 9.7% | 250th of 570 | |
| Per capita income | $37,364 | $38,105 | $53,744 | $44,673 | 378th of 570 | |
| Median gross rent | $1,267 | $1,206 | $1,760 | $1,413 | 274th of 475 | |
| Broadband access | 90.7% | 91% | 93.6% | 91% | 363rd of 563 | |
| Poverty rate | 8.3% | 12.2% | 9.9% | 12.5% | 337th of 563 | |
| Average commute | 23 min | 26.1 min | 26.6 min | 26.4 min | 363rd of 546 | |
| Diversity index | 32 | 35.1 | 56.5 | 61.4 | 366th of 571 | |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 0.406 | 0.425 | 0.469 | 0.483 | 344th of 560 | |
| Population density | 200/sq mi | 99/sq mi | 118/sq mi | 95/sq mi | 268th of 571 | |
| Housing vacancy | 3.9% | 5.3% | 7.3% | 10.1% | 442nd of 563 | |
| Work from home | 7.2% | 8.2% | 19.8% | 15.1% | 455th of 570 | |
| Foreign-born residents | 2.9% | 4.3% | 15.4% | 14.1% | 431st of 571 | |
| Bachelor's degree or higherWeakness | 14.7% | 17.6% | 39.6% | 35.7% | 493rd of 571 | |
| Tech workers | 0.7% | 1.7% | 6.7% | 3.8% | 396th of 570 |
The percentile is the share of Americans who live in a zip code with a lower value, so the 50th percentile is typical. Rank 1 is the highest value in the state. Both include zip codes with at least 100 residents. Strengths and weaknesses mark measures in the best or worst fifth nationally, where higher or lower is clearly better (income, poverty, education, commute, broadband, insurance and similar). Measures like age or density are left unmarked.
People
Age
Race and ethnicity
- White82%
- Black0.9%
- Hispanic7%
- Asian0.9%
- Native American0.7%
- Pacific Islander0.8%
- Other1.0%
- Multiracial7%
Language spoken at home (households)
Households
- Households
- 10,342
- Average household size
- 2.6
- Family households
- 70.6%
- Married couples
- 51.3%
- Living alone
- 23.1%
- Veterans (of adults)
- 10.5%
- Male / female
- 50% / 50%
Income and poverty
Household income distribution
Median household income
Housing
Median home value
Median gross rent
Types of housing
- Housing units
- 10,766
- Owner-occupied
- 68.5%
- Vacant
- 3.9%
- Median year built
- 1975
- Median rooms
- 6
- Renters paying 30%+ of income
- 50.3%
- Renters paying 50%+ of income
- 22.8%
- Home value to income
- 4.9× (U.S. 4.1×)
Work and commute
How people get to work
Commute time (one way)
Jobs and careers
Occupations
Industries
Median earnings by type of work
| Type of work | 98626 | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Management, business, science and arts | $64,894 | $74,888 |
| Service | $35,288 | $26,804 |
| Sales and office | $36,859 | $40,476 |
| Construction and maintenance | $65,156 | $49,199 |
| Production and transportation | $50,482 | $39,989 |
Education, internet and health coverage
Highest education (adults 25+)
- High school graduate or higher
- 90.4%
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 14.7%
- Graduate or professional degree
- 3.9%
- Households with broadband
- 90.7%
- Cable, fiber or DSL
- 66.2%
- No internet access
- 7.3%
- Without health insurance
- 7%
- Limited-English households
- 2.2%
Geography
- City (USPS)
- Kelso
- State
- Washington
- County
- Cowlitz County
- Center point
- 46.1722° N, 122.7735° W
- Land area
- 135 sq mi
- Water area
- 0.8 sq mi
- Time zone
- Pacific Time (UTC-8, UTC-7 in summer)
- Zip type
- Residential delivery area
Cities and towns within this zip
- Kelso5% of zip
Census places overlapping the zip's area. Mail may use a different city name than the municipality.
Zip codes near 98626
| Zip | City | Distance | IncomeMedian income |
|---|---|---|---|
| 98609 | Carrolls, WA | 8.2 mi | — |
| 98625 | Kalama, WA | 11 mi | $116,435 |
| 98611 | Castle Rock, WA | 11 mi | $86,322 |
| 98645 | Silverlake, WA | 11 mi | $101,429 |
| 98632 | Longview, WA | 14 mi | $66,305 |
| 97048 | Rainier, OR | 15 mi | $77,171 |
| 98649 | Toutle, WA | 15 mi | $73,750 |
| 98674 | Woodland, WA | 16 mi | $94,245 |
| 97054 | Deer Island, OR | 16 mi | $87,327 |
| 98591 | Toledo, WA | 19 mi | $78,952 |
| 97018 | Columbia City, OR | 19 mi | $96,750 |
| 98603 | Ariel, WA | 19 mi | $78,281 |
Zip codes like 98626 elsewhere
Questions about 98626
What city is zip code 98626?
98626 is assigned to Kelso, Washington. The city name is the one the Postal Service prefers for mail addressed to this zip code.
What county is 98626 in?
98626 is in Cowlitz County, Washington.
What is the population of 98626?
About 26,892 people live in 98626, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey.
What time zone is 98626 in?
98626 is in Pacific Time.
What is the median household income in 98626?
The median household income in 98626 is $75,528.
What zip codes are near 98626?
The closest zip codes to 98626 are 98609, 98625, 98611, 98645, 98632.
Demographic figures are 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Area 98626, from the U.S. Census Bureau. Small areas have wide margins of error. How we build these numbers.