Cowlitz County, Washington
Among the top 8% of US counties for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 14% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade A, better than 92% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 36% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 84% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 42% of US counties
- top 5% for comfortable days
- top 6% for air quality
- bottom 5% for property crime
Cowlitz County is a county in Washington with about 111,000 residents. It grades A for weather and D for affordability. Standout strengths include comfortable days, air quality, and summer humidity. It rates lower on sunny days and property crime.
Official websiteco.cowlitz.wa.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Cool winters · Wet · Light snow
cold
cool
comfortable
warm
cool
cold
67%30%clearovercast
Precipitation 6.9 in1.3 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$71k76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$46kbetter than 42% of US counties
Home Value$332k91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 18% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 14% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.85%better than 50% of US counties
Income Tax0.44%better than 82% of US counties
Sales Tax9.38%better than 8% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden7.51%better than 80% of US counties
Unemployment5.5%better than 35% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)40°F68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)67°F4th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation53.7 in82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall3.0 inbetter than 68% of US counties
Sunny Days177 daysbetter than 5% of US counties
Summer Humidity53°Fbetter than 88% of US counties
Comfortable Days113 daysbetter than 95% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk90.3better than 9% of US counties
Air Quality22 AQIbetter than 94% of US counties
School Quality72.4better than 77% of US counties
Violent Crime1251/100kbetter than 24% of US counties
Property Crime2785/100kbetter than 5% of US counties
Community
Population110,62183rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age40.844th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2547th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0053rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1829th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)81.4%51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.7%30th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)9.8%72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.2%73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)6.9%89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time28 minbetter than 28% of US counties
Walkability8.4/20better than 88% of US counties
Airport Distance37 mibetter than 88% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access88.3%better than 80% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.09better than 24% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 38% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Cowlitz County an affordable place to live?
- Cowlitz County is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $46k, better than 42% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Cowlitz County?
- The median home value in Cowlitz County is $332k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Cowlitz County?
- Median household income in Cowlitz County is $71k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Cowlitz County?
- Median gross rent in Cowlitz County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Cowlitz County safe?
- Cowlitz County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1251/100k (better than 24%). Property crime is 2785/100k.
- What is the weather like in Cowlitz County?
- Cowlitz County averages 67°F in July and 40°F in January, with 53.7 in of annual precipitation and about 177 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Cowlitz County?
- Public-school quality in Cowlitz County is above average, scoring better than 77% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Cowlitz County?
- The average one-way commute in Cowlitz County is 28 min.
Other counties in Washington
Explore Washington
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)