Cowlitz County, WA Average Home Price (2026)
The average home price in Cowlitz County, Washington is about $483,000 (the 2026 median across 9 ZIP codes, at ~$280/sq ft) — 4% more affordable than the Washington median and 67% more expensive than the typical U.S. home.
How Cowlitz County compares
Cowlitz County is relatively expensive for housing nationally: its typical home costs $483,000 against $501,000 for Washington and $289,000 for the U.S. Within the county, ZIP-level values run from about $262,000 to $585,000.
| Area | Typical value | $ / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Cowlitz County | $483,000 | $280 |
| Washington | $501,000 | $312 |
| United States | $289,000 | $193 |
Cowlitz County home prices by ZIP code
The 9 most valuable ZIP codes in Cowlitz County (of 9 with data):
| ZIP code | Typical value | $ / sq ft | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 98674 Woodland | $585,000 | $280 | +21% |
| 98603 Cougar | $554,000 | $264 | +15% |
| 98625 Kalama | $539,000 | $288 | +12% |
| 98649 Toutle | $503,000 | $310 | +4% |
| 98645 Silverlake | $483,000 | $287 | +0% |
| 98611 Castle Rock | $476,000 | $328 | -1% |
| 98626 Kelso | $387,000 | $265 | -20% |
| 98632 Longview | $387,000 | $272 | -20% |
| 98581 Ryderwood | $262,000 | $207 | -46% |
Home value appreciation in Cowlitz County
Home prices in Cowlitz County have risen about 121% over the last 10 years (≈8.3% a year) and +141.6% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at +3.7% — still rising. A home worth $483,000 today was worth roughly $218,651 ten years ago.
See where that trend takes a specific home with the home appreciation calculator — statewide, Washington is +113.0% over the same 10 years. Past appreciation is a track record, not a forecast; local prices can fall.
Calculators for Cowlitz County
Run the numbers for Cowlitz County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.
Salary needed to buy a home in Cowlitz County
To buy the typical $483,000 home in Cowlitz County with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $131,000 a year (about $3,070 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $156,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.
| Down payment | Cash down | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% (+PMI) | $24,200 | $3,810/mo | $163,000/yr |
| 10% (+PMI) | $48,300 | $3,640/mo | $156,000/yr |
| 20% | $96,600 | $3,070/mo | $131,000/yr |
Assumes a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.5%, property tax at 1.1% and insurance at 0.45% of value per year, PMI of 0.75% on loans with less than 20% down, and the standard 28% housing-to-income rule. Your rate, taxes, and HOA will move these — run your own numbers in the mortgage calculator.
What your budget buys in Cowlitz County
At about $280 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in Cowlitz County:
| Budget | Approx. size | What that looks like locally |
|---|---|---|
| $250k | 890 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $300k | 1070 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $400k | 1430 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $500k | 1790 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $600k | 2140 sq ft | around the typical home here |
Wondering where that budget goes further? The relocation calculator ranks hundreds of U.S. cities by what the same money buys — it opens filtered to Washington.
Estimate a specific home in Cowlitz County
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Cowlitz County home prices: frequently asked
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Browse all Washington cities and counties, or look up price per square foot by ZIP code nationwide.
Directional estimates from public market data (Realtor.com & Zillow research; FHFA house price index; Census ZIP-to-county relationships), not appraisals.