This section is generated from cached city metrics and clearly labeled state-level benchmarks. It is meant to make the Kelso page less generic and more useful for comparing housing, income, utilities, taxes, insurance, demographics, and nearby alternatives.
Affordability Summary
Population is 12,697, so Kelso should be compared with similar-size places before using broader Washington averages. Median household income is $59,462, so the best affordability read for Kelso is income versus housing, taxes, utilities, and insurance together.
Median home value is $302,300, so ownership costs in Kelso should be checked with mortgage, property tax, insurance, and maintenance assumptions. Two-bedroom rent is $1,131/mo, so renters can compare Kelso against ownership costs and nearby rental markets.
Housing and Income Context
For Kelso, income sits in the middle range, making recurring bills worth watching. Home values sit in a moderate range where taxes and utilities still change the monthly math.
Use the home value, rent, and income fields together before deciding whether Kelso looks more favorable for renting, buying, or comparing with Longview Heights, WA.
Utility Cost Context
The residential electricity benchmark is $0.144/kWh, so Kelso households should treat usage, home size, heating, and cooling as the practical bill drivers. The electricity value shown for Kelso is a Washington state-level EIA benchmark, so it should not be read as a local provider tariff.
For Kelso, utility planning is stronger when the electric benchmark is paired with home age, square footage, insulation, HVAC equipment, and household occupancy.
Property Tax Context
Median property tax paid is $2,493, so Kelso buyers should still verify parcel-specific tax records before budgeting. Parcel boundaries, exemptions, school districts, and reassessment rules can move the actual bill for a Kelso address.
Compare the property tax field with home value rather than reading it by itself; a lower tax bill can still pair with a different assessment base or exemption profile.
Insurance and Risk Context
Insurance costs in Kelso depend on address-level factors such as roof condition, structure age, coverage limits, claims history, deductible choice, and carrier underwriting.
Home value, tax burden, and insurance exposure should be reviewed together for Kelso, especially when comparing with Longview Heights, WA.
Population and Demographics
Median age is 38.4, so Kelso may have different school, commute, healthcare, and housing demand patterns than a statewide average. Bachelor+ share is 11.8%, so Kelso education context can be useful when reading labor-market and school sections.
Unemployment is 5.2%, so Kelso wage and job-market context should be compared with commute options and regional employment centers.
