ZIP Code 98626

ZIP code 98626 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 353.9 square miles in Kelso, Cowlitz County, Washington. The area is home to 24,523 residents, producing a population density of 69 people per square mile, and falls within the Los Angeles time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 98626 against Washington and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 98626 sits at $75,528 (17% below the Washington average), while per-capita income is $37,364. The poverty rate stands at 8.3% and the unemployment rate at 8.1%. On housing, the median home value is $368,900 (28% below the state average) with median rent at $1,267 per month, and 68.5% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 98626 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 14.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.5, and the average commute is 23 minutes. We also surface 1 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Cowlitz County, so you can benchmark 98626 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →