Kelso, WA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Kelso, WA Summary

Cost of living in Kelso research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Kelso is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Washington, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Kelso is 101, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Kelso is 1.0x higher than the national average.

  • Kelso ranks as the #20 cheapest in Washington out of 192.

  • Kelso ranks as the #3,263 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Kelso is $201,800.

  • The median income in Kelso is $51,203.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
101
Kelso's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Kelso, WA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Kelso has an overall cost of living index of 101, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Washington, Kelso has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Washington's index of 115.

The standard of living in Kelso ranks as #20 most affordable out of the 192 places we measured in Washington. By definition, that implies Kelso ranks as the #172 most expensive place in the Evergreen State.

For more reading on life in Kelso, check out:

20 out of 192
In Washington
3,263 out of 6,412
In America

Kelso Cost Of Living Vs. Washington

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Kelso. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Kelso is 118.

  • The Groceries index in Kelso is 114.

  • The Health index in Kelso is 117.

  • The Housing index in Kelso is 71.

  • The Transportation index in Kelso is 130.

  • The Utilities index in Kelso is 89.

Living Expense Kelso Washington National Average
Overall 101 115 100
Services 118 112 100
Groceries 114 109 100
Health 117 119 100
Housing 71 129 100
Transportation 130 116 100
Utilities 89 90 100
For more reading on cost of living around Washington, check out:
Kelso Cost of Living Vs. WA

Kelso, WA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Washington, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Kelso is $201,800.

  • The Median Rent in Kelso is $1,008.

  • The Median Income in Kelso is $51,203.

  • The Home Value To Income in Kelso is 3.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Kelso is 0.24x.

Statistic Kelso Washington United States
Median Home Value $201,800 $397,600 $244,900
Median Rent $1,008 $1,439 $1,163
Median Income $51,203 $82,400 $69,021
Home Value To Income 3.9x 4.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.21x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Kelso, WA
$201,800
Median Home Value
$1,008
Median Rent
$51,203
Median Income

Kelso, WA Costs By Category

Detailed Kelso Services Costs Vs. Washington

Item Kelso Washington
Shampoo $1.23 $1.06
Movie $11.1 $10.68
Bowling $19.95 $14.67
Haircut $33.67 $18.62
Beauty Salon $56.44 $39.05

Detailed Kelso Groceries Costs Vs. Washington

Item Kelso Washington
Ground Beef $4.74 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.58 $1.39
Milk $2.12 $2.05
Potatoes $2.34 $3.29
Pizza $11.99 $10.62
Beer $11.24 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.65 $2.34

Detailed Kelso Health Costs Vs. Washington

Item Kelso Washington
Optometrist $146.25 $108.57
Doctor $168.67 $116.17
Dentist $101.75 $99.13

Detailed Kelso Transportation Costs Vs. Washington

Item Kelso Washington
Gasoline $2.78 $2.22
Tire Balancing $68.4 $50.07

Detailed Kelso Utilities Costs Vs. Washington

Item Kelso Washington
All Electricity $143.85 $167.67
Phone $170.53 $175.64

Kelso SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
8
Affordability
5
Diversity
8
Safety
4
Amenities
8.5
Education
5
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Kelso

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Kelso. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Longview, WA has a cost of living index of 105, 1.0x Kelso.

  • St. Helens, OR has a cost of living index of 108, 1.1x Kelso.

  • Columbia, PA has a cost of living index of 91, 0.9x Kelso.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Kelso
Longview, WA 37,542 105 1.0x
St. Helens, OR 13,808 108 1.1x
Columbia, PA 10,243 91 0.9x
Woodland, WA 6,368 112 1.1x

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