Port of Kalama Comprehensive Plan

Port of Kalama Comprehensive Plan 

June 1, 2015 

 

Page 12 

Under the intermediate forecast, the population of Cowlitz County is projected to grow by 

approximately 0.6 percent per year between 2015 and 2025, slowing to 0.3 percent per year 

between 2025 and 2040.  During that period the population is projected to increase from less 

than 103,000 to nearly 117,000.  Under the same scenario the state population is projected to 

grow by more than 1.0 percent per year between 2015 and 2025, and by approximately 0.8 

percent per year between 2025 and 2040. 

Under the high growth scenario, the population of Cowlitz County is projected to grow at 

an average rate of nearly 1.0 percent per year between 2015 and 2025, and by more than 0.8 

percent per year between 2025 and 2040.  Total county population is projected to reach nearly 

138,000 in 2040.  As with the other scenarios, under this high scenario the growth rate of the 

state is projected to be higher than that of Cowlitz County, averaging 1.5 percent per year 

between 2015 and 2025, and 1.2 percent per year between 2025 and 2040.  (See Table 1) 

Due to the relatively lower population growth rates, Cowlitz County’s share of the state 

population is projected to decline from slightly more than 1.5 percent currently, to between 

1.3 percent and 1.4 percent in 2040. 

Table 1 – Population Forecast for Washington State and Cowlitz County 

 

Low 

Intermediate 

High 

Year 

State 

Cowlitz 

State 

Cowlitz 

State 

Cowlitz 

2010 

6,724,500 

102,400 

6,724,500 

102,400 

6,724,500 

102,400 

2015 

6,449,100 

99,700 

7,022,200 

105,100 

7,696,800 

110,600 

2020 

6,650,200 

99,800 

7,412,000 

108,600 

8,323,500 

116,000 

2025 

6,841,800 

99,800 

7,793,200 

111,700 

8,943,500 

121,400 

2030 

7,014,800 

99,900 

8,154,200 

114,200 

9,545,800 

126,800 

2035 

7,162,300 

99,900 

8,483,600 

115,800 

10,120,500 

132,200 

2040 

7,291,700 

100,000 

8,791,000 

116,900 

10,676,200 

137,600 

AAGR 2015-2025 

0.59% 

0.01% 

1.05% 

0.61% 

1.51% 

0.94% 

AAGR 2025-2040 

0.43% 

0.01% 

0.81% 

0.30% 

1.19% 

0.84% 

Note:  “AAGR” means Average Annual Growth Rate 

Source:  WA State Office of Financial Management, BST Associates 

Cowlitz County has five incorporated towns or cities, including Castle Rock, Kalama, 

Kelso, Longview, and most of Woodland (a portion of Woodland is in Clark County).  While 

these five municipalities contain the majority of the county population, a large minority lives in 

unincorporated areas.  Between 2000 and 2010 the share of population in unincorporated areas 

grew, from 41.7 percent to 43.1 percent.  Population estimates for 2014 indicate that this share 

has dropped, but by only a small amount.  (See Table 2) 

Kalama has been one of the fastest-growing parts of Cowlitz County in recent years.  

Between 2000 and 2005 Kalama accounted for 1.9 percent of the county population, but by 2014 

Kalama’s share had grown to 2.3 percent. 

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Port of Kalama Comprehensive Plan 

June 1, 2015 

 

Page 13 

Table 2 – Estimated Population of Cities, Towns, and Counties 

 

 

 

 

 

Average Annual Growth 

  

2000 

2005 

2010 

2014 

2000- 

2005 

2005- 

2010 

2010- 

2014 

Kalama 

1,780 

1,880 

2,340 

2,430 

1.1% 

4.5% 

0.9% 

  Kalama Share 

1.9% 

1.9% 

2.3% 

2.3% 

 

 

 

Castle Rock 

2,130 

2,050 

1,980 

2,150 

-0.8% 

-0.7% 

2.1% 

Kelso 

11,900 

11,830 

11,930 

11,960 

-0.1% 

0.2% 

0.1% 

Longview 

34,660 

35,790 

36,650 

37,040 

0.6% 

0.5% 

0.3% 

Woodland (part) 

3,690 

4,330 

5,430 

5,610 

3.3% 

4.6% 

0.8% 

Unincorporated 

38,790 

41,800 

44,090 

44,520 

1.5% 

1.1% 

0.2% 

  Unincorp. Share 

41.7% 

42.8% 

43.1% 

42.9% 

 

 

 

Cowlitz County 

92,950 

97,670 

102,410 

103,700 

1.0% 

1.0% 

0.3% 

Source:  OFM 

Housing

 

According to data from the Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM), 

Kalama represents a small but increasing share of the housing stock in Cowlitz County.  Kalama 

saw its share of housing grow from 2.1 percent of the county total in 2000 to more than 

2.5 percent in 2014.  In Kalama, the number of housing units grew by an average of 2.4 percent 

per year between 1990 and 2014, compared with a county average of 0.9 percent.  (See Figure 2) 

Figure 2 – Housing Trends 

 

Source: Washington State Office of Financial Management, Forecasting Division 

In Kalama, nearly all of the increase was due to growth in the number of single-family 

houses.  Between 2000 and 2014 Kalama saw an increase of 311 total housing units, of which 309 

units were single family houses.  Multi-unit housing grew by 20 units during this time, while 

mobile homes / special housing units dropped by 18.  (See Figure 3) 

0.0%

0.5%

1.0%

1.5%

2.0%

2.5%

3.0%

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

45,000

50,000

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

S

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C

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Cowlitz County

Kalama

Kalama Share

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