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Data on this report is based on areas within the legal city boundary, outlined in black on the map. Any additional neighborhoods shown on the map are associated with the city by name and are included for reference only.



Kelso, WA Real Estate Market

Source & Methodology

Analytics built by:   Location, Inc.

Raw data sources:   American Community Survey (U.S. Census Bureau), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Federal Housing Finance Agency.

Date(s) & Update Frequency:
  • Home Values, Rents: Reflects Q4 2023. Updated quarterly.
  • Setting, Housing Stock, Homeownership: 2022 (latest available). Updated annually.

Methodology:   NeighborhoodScout uses over 600 characteristics to build a neighborhood profile… Read more about Scout's Real Estate Data

Kelso, WA Housing Market Trends

With a population of 12,691, 5,280 total housing units (homes and apartments), and a median house value of $291,187, Kelso real estate values are some of the lowest in Washington, although compared to real estate around the nation, Kelso homes are still considered rather expensive.

Single-family detached homes are the single most common housing type in Kelso, accounting for 66.37% of the city's housing units. Other types of housing that are prevalent in Kelso include large apartment complexes or high rise apartments ( 12.40%), duplexes, homes converted to apartments or other small apartment buildings ( 12.22%), and a few mobile homes or trailers ( 5.54%).

People in Kelso primarily live in small (one, two or no bedroom) single-family detached homes. Kelso has a mixture of owner-occupied and renter-occupied housing.

At the end of World War II, American soldiers returned home triumphant and, with the help of the GI Bill, built homes by the millions on the edges of America's cities. These homes were predominantly capes and ranches, modest in size, but built to house a growing middle-class as the 20th century became the American century. Kelso's housing was primarily built during this period, from the '40s through the '60s. A full 37.43% of the city's housing hails from this era. Other housing ages represented in Kelso include homes built between 1970-1999 ( 26.40%) and housing constructed before 1939 ( 24.81%). There's also some housing in Kelso built between 2000 and later ( 11.36%).

Kelso Home Appreciation Rates

In the last 10 years, Kelso has experienced some of the highest home appreciation rates of any community in the nation. Kelso real estate appreciated 144.91% over the last ten years, which is an average annual home appreciation rate of 9.37%, putting Kelso in the top 10% nationally for real estate appreciation. If you are a home buyer or real estate investor, Kelso definitely has a track record of being one of the best long term real estate investments in America through the last ten years.

Over the last year, Kelso appreciation rates have trailed the rest of the nation. In the last twelve months, Kelso's appreciation rate has been -1.58%, which is lower than appreciation rates in most communities in America. In the latest quarter, NeighborhoodScout's data show that house appreciation rates in Kelso were at -1.41%, which equates to an annual appreciation rate of -5.51%.

Notably, Kelso's appreciation rate in the latest quarter is one of the lowest in America.

Relative to Washington, our data show that Kelso's latest annual appreciation rate is lower than 90% of the other cities and towns in Washington.

One very important thing to keep in mind is that these are average appreciation rates for the city. Individual neighborhoods within Kelso differ in their investment potential, sometimes by a great deal. Fortunately, you can use NeighborhoodScout to pinpoint the exact neighborhoods in Kelso - or in any city or town - that have the best track record of real estate appreciation, by the latest quarter, the last year, 2 years, 5 years, 10 years, or even since 2000, to assist you in making the best Kelso real estate investment or home purchase decisions.

Average Home Values

Median Home Value

$291,187

Kelso, WA Home Prices
> $1,277,000
$958,001 - $1,277,000
$638,001 - $958,000
$511,001 - $638,000
$383,001 - $511,000
$255,001 - $383,000
$128,001 - $255,000
$64,001 - $128,000
$0 - $64,000
1.3%
1.3%
1.1%
1.1%
3.8%
3.8%
8.8%
8.8%
24.4%
24.4%
26.5%
26.5%
19.4%
19.4%
7.2%
7.2%
7.6%
7.6%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes
Very Low

for Washington

Average

for nation

Number of Homes And Apartments:

5,280

Kelso Appreciation Rates

Rent & Ownership

Average Market Rent:

$1,531 / per month

Homeownership Rate

Owners
Renters
56.8%
56.8%
43.2%
43.2%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes

Vacancy Rate

Vacant
Occupied
4.0%
4.0%
96.0%
96.0%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes

Housing Market Details

Age of Homes

2000 or Newer
1970 - 1999
1940 - 1969
1939 or Older
11.4%
11.4%
26.4%
26.4%
37.4%
37.4%
24.8%
24.8%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes

Types of Homes

Single-Family
Townhomes
Small Apt. Buildings
Apt. Complexes
Mobile Homes
Other
66.4%
66.4%
3.5%
3.5%
12.2%
12.2%
12.4%
12.4%
5.5%
5.5%
0.0%
0.0%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes

Home Size

No Bedroom
1 Bedroom
2 Bedrooms
3 Bedrooms
4 Bedrooms
5 or more bedrooms
2.2%
2.2%
11.0%
11.0%
34.3%
34.3%
37.7%
37.7%
9.8%
9.8%
5.0%
5.0%
0% 100.0%
% of Homes