Rental numbers for Cowlitz County, WA
The typical home here runs -$1,748 a month at 7.78% with 25% down. 0 of 2 ZIP codes with full Zillow data in this county are cash-flow positive; the median gross yield is 4.3%.
- Gross yield
- 4.1%
- typical home, Zillow
- Median ZIP yield
- 4.3%
- 2 ZIPs with full data
- Cash flow
- -$1,748/mo
- at 7.78%, 25% down
- Typical price
- $418,000
- Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
- Typical rent
- $1,443/mo
- Zillow ZORI, Aug 2026
ZIP codes in Cowlitz County
10 with published figures
| 98616Cougar | $285,000 | $2,110* | 8.9% | 5.4% | -$249 | n/a |
| 98581Ryderwood | $266,000 | $1,530* | 6.9% | 3.9% | -$574 | n/a |
| 98626Kelso | $387,000 | $1,462 | 4.5% | 1.6% | -$1,558 | +4.5% |
| 98611Castle Rock | $479,000 | $1,670* | 4.2% | 1.6% | -$1,928 | n/a |
| 98645Silverlake | $482,000 | $1,670* | 4.2% | 1.7% | -$1,937 | n/a |
| 98632Longview | $386,000 | $1,307 | 4.1% | 1.4% | -$1,627 | +0.1% |
| 98674Woodland | $588,000 | $1,800* | 3.7% | 1.2% | -$2,591 | n/a |
| 98625Kalama | $541,000 | $1,540* | 3.4% | 1.0% | -$2,483 | n/a |
| 98603Cougar | $556,000 | $1,550* | 3.3% | 0.9% | -$2,601 | n/a |
| 98649Toutle | $500,000 | $1,280* | 3.1% | 0.6% | -$2,440 | n/a |
* HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, where Zillow publishes no rent index. Conservative.
Trends
Five years to August 2026
- Price, 12 months
- +0.2%
- Rent, 12 months
- +0.6%
- Rent minus price growth
- +0.4 pts
- Property tax
- 0.82%
- effective rate, ACS 2024
Show the numbers
| Month | Typical value | Rent |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 2021 | $377,731 | n/a |
| Aug 2022 | $414,531 | $1,318 |
| Aug 2023 | $410,145 | $1,343 |
| Aug 2024 | $422,239 | $1,351 |
| Aug 2025 | $417,391 | $1,435 |
| Aug 2026 | $418,072 | $1,443 |
HUD Fair Market Rent
FY2027, Longview-Kelso, WA MSA
| Bedrooms | Studio | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4 bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair Market Rent | $974 | $1,124 | $1,398 | $1,936 | $2,337 |
The 40th percentile gross rent for a standard unit, set by HUD each October and used for Section 8 payment standards. It runs below market rent; Zillow's index is shown above where it exists.
Supply
- Permits per 1,000 households
- 5.6
- 245 units, last 12 months
- National percentile
- 51th
- among US counties
Tools
Test a listing in Cowlitz County against today's rate.
Open the calculatorPart of the Longview, WA metro.
Questions
- Is Cowlitz County good for rental property?
- The typical home here runs -$1,748 a month at 7.78% with 25% down. 0 of 2 ZIP codes with full Zillow data in this county are cash-flow positive; the median gross yield is 4.3%. The figures use a typical home, 7.78% with 25% down and default costs shown on each ZIP page. They describe the market, not any one property.
- What is the property tax rate in Cowlitz County?
- About 0.82% of value, from Census ACS median taxes paid over median home value. On a $418,000 home that is about $3,411 a year.
- What is Fair Market Rent in Cowlitz County?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent here is $1,124 for a 1-bedroom, $1,398 for a 2-bedroom and $1,936 for a 3-bedroom. Typical cash flow at today's rate is -$1,748 a month.
Sources and method
- Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), mid tier, smoothed and seasonally adjusted
Zillow Research. Read: 2026-08.
Typical home value by ZIP, county, metro and state, and the price trend.
- Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), all homes plus multifamily, smoothed
Zillow Research. Read: 2026-08.
Typical market rent by ZIP, county and metro, and the rent trend (tier A pages).
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2026
US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Read: FY2026.
Rent by bedroom count for every ZIP. The rent used on tier B pages, and a reference on all pages. It is the 40th percentile gross rent, so it runs below market.
- HUD Fair Market Rents by county, FY2027
US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Read: FY2027.
County rent by bedroom count on county pages.
- American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024 (B25103 median real estate taxes paid, B25077 median home value, B11001 households)
US Census Bureau. Read: 2020 to 2024.
Effective property tax rate (median taxes paid divided by median value) by ZIP code tabulation area, county and state; households for the permits ratio.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, 30-year fixed (FRED series MORTGAGE30US)
Freddie Mac via the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Read: 2026-09-24.
The weekly 30-year rate. The site adds a disclosed investor premium to it for the loan payment.
- Building Permits Survey, county monthly files
US Census Bureau. Read: 2025-09 to 2026-08.
New housing units permitted in the last 12 months per 1,000 households, a supply-pressure signal.
Data: Zillow Research (ZHVI, ZORI), HUD, US Census Bureau, Freddie Mac. Every formula is on the methodology page.
Estimates from public data for a typical property. Not investment, tax or legal advice. Your property, financing and costs will differ.