City Town Info

Kelso, WA


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Kelso, Washington

Introduction to Kelso, Washington

Kelso, Washington is 37 miles N of Vancouver, Washington (center to center) and 44 miles N of Portland, Oregon. It is in Cowlitz county. The population of the city is 11,895.

Kelso History

Native Americans who belonged to the Cowlitz tribe were the original inhabitants of this area. The earliest European explorers came to this area in 1855. Peter Crawford founded Kelso in 1884. He named it after Kelso, Scotland which is where he was from. In its early days, Kelso had many taverns and brothels catering to the local loggers. This led to it being nicknamed “little Chicago”.

Kelso and nearby Attractions

  • Highland Park
  • Coweeman River
  • Harding Creek
  • Cowlitz County Historical Museum
  • Longview Country Club
  • Mint Valley Golf Course

Things To Do In Kelso

Kelso has a lot in store for history buffs, beginning with the Cowlitz County Museum, which has many exhibits that date back to the late 1880s when the town was established. The museums offer walking tours of the historic sites of Kelso. The Highlander Festival is a much anticipated local celebration. The Kilted Klassic Golf tournament is another local event that attracts golf lovers.

Kelso Transportation

Portland International Airport is the nearest major airport.

Kelso Higher Education

Facilities for higher education are available at Lower Columbia College, Clark College, and University of Portland.

High Points

Kelso strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Washington):

CategoryTrophy
Walking and Biking to Work
(vs. Peers)		Top 10%Kelso Walking and Biking to Work

Comparative Profile of Kelso, WA

Comparing Kelso to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Washington (State):

Ratings range from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).


The People

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Male Share of the Population98
Children Under 5 Years Old86
Racial Diversity54
Senior Citizens45
Well-Paid Single Men34
Age of the Population34
Female Share of the Population23

Families

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Average Household Size66
Portion of People Married22

Wealth

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Median Family Income23
People Above Poverty23
People in Middle Class or Better23
College Educated Adults22

Commute & Sprawl

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Walking and Biking to Work109
Short Commute Times88
Public Transportation Use65
Working at Home42

Housing

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals99
People Living Alone77
Affordability of Rents67
Affordability of Property Taxes66
Housing Recently Built43
Seasonal and Vacation Housing33

Crime

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Low Violent Crime32
Low Property Crime11

Detailed pages on related topics: Kelso travel • Kelso mortgage and property.

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Additional Details

Kelso Hotels & TravelKelso Hotels & Travel
Kelso hotels, landmarks, tourism, transportation.
Kelso MortgageKelso Mortgage
Kelso property, mortgage, and real estate.

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