NToutle Plain panorama 8883 · Photo: Chris Light · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Cowlitz County, Washington
112,360 residents · Updated Nov 12, 2026
Rental availability, asking rents against HUD Fair Market Rent, and community services in Cowlitz County, from the data behind Range Lab’s tools, refreshed daily.
Cowlitz County
Washington
112,360 residents
5 ZIP codes with listings
207 services listed
All Washington countiesNToutle Plain panorama 8883 · Photo: Chris Light · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Listings a voucher can reach, per 100 voucher households
12.7
184 listings at or below Fair Market Rent today · 1,451 households using Housing Choice Vouchers (2025)
People counted homeless, 2025
7,353
−152 vs. 2024 · 3,895 unsheltered · one January night, across Washington Balance of State CoC (WA-501)
Year-round shelter beds
4,683
Emergency shelter, across Washington Balance of State CoC (WA-501) · 1,990 permanent supportive housing beds
Income-restricted properties with open waitlists
0 of 27
No waitlist changes in the last 30 days · 1,227 units where known
Point-in-Time count, Washington Balance of State CoC (WA-501)
HUD counts people experiencing homelessness on one night each January, by Continuum of Care. Cowlitz County is part of Washington Balance of State CoC; these figures cover the whole CoC, not just the county.
Where people slept, by year
The unsheltered share rose from 47% to 53% of everyone counted (2023 to 2025).
Shelter beds against people counted
In 2025 there were 82 year-round shelter beds per 100 people counted. Rapid re-housing and permanent supportive housing are not shelter and are shown below.
| Year | All people | Sheltered | Unsheltered | Shelter beds (ES + TH) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 6,764 | 3,577 | 3,187 | 6,056 |
| 2024 | 7,505 | 4,046 | 3,459 | 6,419 |
| 2025 | 7,353 | 3,458 | 3,895 | 6,003 |
| Group | 2025 |
|---|---|
| All people | 7,353 |
| Sheltered | 3,458 |
| Unsheltered | 3,895 |
| Chronically homeless | 2,351 |
| Veterans | 323 |
| People in families with children | 1,738 |
| Unaccompanied youth | 387 |
Year-round beds by type
11,415 beds
| Emergency shelter | 4,683 | 41% |
|---|---|---|
| Transitional housing | 1,320 | 12% |
| Rapid re-housing | 3,422 | 30% |
| Permanent supportive housing | 1,990 | 17% |
Only the first two are shelter. Rapid re-housing is short-term rental help; permanent supportive housing is long-term housing with services.
How WA-501 compares with other Washington CoCs
People counted homeless per 10,000 residents, 2025. Each Continuum of Care’s count divided by the population of the counties it covers.
- Seattle/King County (WA-500)74
- Spokane City & County (WA-502)33
- Tacoma/Lakewood/Pierce County (WA-503)32
- Washington Balance of State (WA-501)28
- Vancouver/Clark County (WA-508)27
- Everett/Snohomish County (WA-504)14
Washington Balance of State counts 28 per 10,000, ranking 4th of 6 Washington CoCs. Populations are county totals; a county split between CoCs is divided evenly.
Subsidized housing in the county
HUD-assisted units (Picture of Subsidized Households, 2025) and Low-Income Housing Tax Credit units.
HUD-assisted units, by program
1,727 units
| Housing Choice Vouchers in use | 1,451 | 84% |
|---|---|---|
| Project-based Section 8 and similar | 160 | 9% |
| Public housing units | 116 | 7% |
About 84% of assisted households rent on the private market with a voucher. Average income of assisted households: $17,185.
Can a voucher find a home today?
Listings at or below Fair Market Rent, against households holding a voucher.
- Households using a voucher1,451
- Listings at or below FMR today184
12.7 affordable listings per 100 voucher households. Vouchers turn over slowly, so this measures how tight the market is for voucher holders who are searching, not a shortfall.
Tax-credit (LIHTC) units placed in service, and when their affordability ends
723 low-income units across 14 properties. Affordability commitments run 30 years (15 before 1990), so 197 units reach the end of their commitment between now and 2035 unless owners renew.
In the Range Lab directory, Cowlitz County has 4 shelter and crisis-housing listings and 14 housing-assistance listings today.
Sources: HUD Point-in-Time and Housing Inventory counts (by Continuum of Care); HUD Picture of Subsidized Households; HUD LIHTC database; Census ACS 2024 5-year population; Range Lab RST income-restricted property listings and rental listings. About the data.