ZipCodeLook
98626

Zip code 98626: Kelso, Washington

Residential delivery areaCowlitz CountyPacific Time
Population
26,892
Median household income
$76K
U.S. $81K
Median home value
$369K
U.S. $333K
Median rent
$1,267/mo
U.S. $1,413
Median age
41.5
U.S. 38.9
Land area
135 sq mi
200 people/sq mi

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

Sorted from highest to lowest national percentile

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

Median age
41.5
Under 18
22.4%
65 and over
17.1%

Race and ethnicity

  • White82%
  • Black0.9%
  • Hispanic7%
  • Asian0.9%
  • Native American0.7%
  • Pacific Islander0.8%
  • Other1.0%
  • Multiracial7%
Diversity index
32
U.S. 61.4
Foreign-born
2.9%
U.S. 14.1%
Born in state
59.3%

Language spoken at home (households)

English only
93%
Spanish
4%
Other Indo-European
0.7%
Asian / Pacific
2%
Other
0%

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

<$25k
11%
$25–50k
15%
$50–75k
23%
$75–100k
16%
$100–150k
19%
$150–200k
8%
$200k+
7%

Median household income

98626
$75,528
Cowlitz Co.
$76,531
Washington
$98,141
United States
$80,734
Per capita income
$37,364
U.S. $44,673
Poverty rate
8.3%
U.S. 12.5%
Households earning $150K+
15.6%
U.S. 23%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.406
U.S. 0.483

Housing

Median home value

98626
$368,900
Cowlitz Co.
$397,500
Washington
$564,600
United States
$332,700

Median gross rent

98626
$1,267
Cowlitz Co.
$1,206
Washington
$1,760
United States
$1,413

Types of housing

Single-family
73%
2–4 units
9%
5–19 units
3%
20+ units
5%
Mobile home
9%
Boat, RV, van
0%
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

Drove alone
84%
Carpooled
7%
Transit
0.2%
Walked
1%
Bicycle
0%
Worked from home
7%
Other
0.8%

Commute time (one way)

<10 min
14%
10–19
45%
20–29
14%
30–44
12%
45–59
5%
60+
9%
Average commute
23 min
U.S. 26.4 min
Unemployment
8.1%
U.S. 5.2%
In labor force
60.6%
U.S. 63.5%

Jobs and careers

What employed residents do, wherever they work

Occupations

Office and admin
13%
Transportation and moving
12%
Management
11%
Construction and repair
10%
Production
9%
Healthcare
9%
Cleaning and personal care
7%
Sales
7%
Food service
4%
Education
4%
Engineering and science
3%
Business and finance
3%
Police and fire
3%
Legal and social services
3%
Farming, fishing and forestry
1%
Computer and math
0.7%
Arts, media and sports
0.5%

Industries

Health care and social assistance
16%
Manufacturing
14%
Retail
12%
Construction
8%
Education
7%
Transportation, warehousing and utilities
6%
Public administration
6%
Professional and technical services
6%
Restaurants and hotels
6%
Admin, support and management
5%
Finance, insurance and real estate
5%
Other services
5%
Wholesale
2%
Agriculture and mining
1%
Arts and recreation
1%
Information
0.4%
Median earnings per worker
$51,440
U.S. $49,666
Self-employed
8.9%
U.S. 10%
Government workers
14.3%
U.S. 14.5%
Nonprofit workers
8.7%
U.S. 8.8%

Median earnings by type of work

Type of work98626U.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+)

No diploma
10%
High school
34%
Some college
29%
Associate's
12%
Bachelor's
11%
Graduate
4%
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
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

ZipCityDistanceIncome
98609Carrolls8.2 mi—
98625Kalama11 mi$116,435
98611Castle Rock11 mi$86,322
98645Silverlake11 mi$101,429
98632Longview14 mi$66,305
97048Rainier15 mi$77,171
98649Toutle15 mi$73,750
98674Woodland16 mi$94,245
97054Deer Island16 mi$87,327
98591Toledo19 mi$78,952
97018Columbia City19 mi$96,750
98603Ariel19 mi$78,281

Zip codes like 98626 elsewhere

Matched on income, home values, age, density, education, housing and commuting

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.