Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Kelso, Washington
A $302,000 home here costs
$2,259per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,553. The real number is $706 higher every month — 46% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Kelso against Cowlitz County and Washington
| Measure | Kelso | Cowlitz County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $302,300 | $367,400 |
| Median property tax | $2,493 | $2,988 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.825% | 0.813% |
| Median gross rent | $1,131 | $1,169 |
| Population | 12,697 | 111,539 |
The weather behind that power bill
Kelso sits in Cowlitz County, which averages a high of 82.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 37.2°F in its coldest, with 40.66" of precipitation a year and 42% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 427 cooling and 4,155 heating degree days, which is what sets the $134 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Cowlitz County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Cowlitz County
Full Cowlitz County cost breakdown · Every county in Washington
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Kelso?
A $302,000 home in Kelso, Washington costs approximately $2,259 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,553 principal and interest, $208 property tax, $45 homeowners insurance, $202 utilities and $252 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Kelso?
Kelso has an effective property tax rate of 0.825%, based on a median home value of $302,300 and median real estate taxes of $2,493. That is higher than the Cowlitz County average of 0.813%.
What is the average home price in Kelso?
The median owner-occupied home value in Kelso, Washington is $302,300, against $367,400 across Cowlitz County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Kelso?
Median gross rent in Kelso is $1,131 a month, against $2,259 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Kelso — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Washington.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.