© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Longview.
About
Life in Longview
If you're considering Longview, understand this is a working-class, industrial river city—not a recreation destination that happens to have jobs. Manufacturing drives the economy, and the diversified base (chemicals, newsprint, forest products) provides some employment stability, though the old timber industry dominance has faded. The weather is a real trade-off: winters bring frequent rain, occasional violent windstorms, and the Columbia River gorge funnels winds that can gust 40+ mph in summer; it's cooler and cloudier than nearby Portland.
Longview at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
16.0%
Foreign-Born
4.8%
Broadband Internet
89.5%
of households
Population Growth
+1.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.8% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Longview: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Longview, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (43.0%), and 6.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.5%
of residents
65 and Older
20.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
35.3%
of households
Married Couples
37.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.36
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 35% below WA average
Rent, home values, and income in Longview
In Longview, rent runs 35% below the WA average, and home values are 36% below the WA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
52.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
28.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
97.5
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,749
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
55.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1967
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $386,819 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts above WA average
Unemployment in Longview
Unemployment in Longview is 0.6 percentage points higher than the WA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Longview Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute25.1 min avg
How Longview residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Longview, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 71% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 41 mi
Portland International Airport (PDX)
Medium hub9.1M passengers boarded in 2025
- 95 mi
Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Major hub25.4M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 8% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Longview runs 8% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
302.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,789
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Longview Police Department
Natural DisastersHeavy Snow most common — 11 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
90.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Cowlitz County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Cowlitz County, which includes Longview, the most common type is heavy snow, with 11 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | Heavy Snow | $44,000 |
| 2024 | 13 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2023 | 2 | Flood | $100,000 |
| 2022 | 3 | Flood | $25,000 |
| 2021 | 3 | Flood | None reported |
| 2020 | 1 | Flood | $250.0M |
| 2019 | 3 | Flood | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
14 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Cowlitz County, county-wide
Air Quality22 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Cowlitz County, which includes Longview, is typically good.
Median AQI
22
Cowlitz County, county-wide
Climate78°F summers, 35°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Longview has mild summers (avg high 78°F) and mild winters (avg low 35°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
63°/41°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
78°/52°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
64°/44°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
49°/35°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
48.1"
Annual Snowfall
2.3"
Hot Days/Year
9
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
41
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
192
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48°F | 35°F | 6.53" |
| Feb | 52°F | 35°F | 4.81" |
| Mar | 57°F | 38°F | 4.91" |
| Apr | 62°F | 40°F | 4.08" |
| May | 69°F | 45°F | 3.11" |
| Jun | 73°F | 50°F | 2.03" |
| Jul | 79°F | 53°F | 0.63" |
| Aug | 80°F | 53°F | 0.97" |
| Sep | 76°F | 50°F | 2.29" |
| Oct | 64°F | 44°F | 4.38" |
| Nov | 53°F | 39°F | 7.24" |
| Dec | 47°F | 35°F | 7.14" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Longview
Longview has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
6.8%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Peacehealth St John Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education17.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Longview
Longview's student/teacher ratio is 17.8:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 16.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
17
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
16.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Longview
Public · 2-year · 1,932 students · in-state tuition $4,795 · 41% graduate · median earnings $45,498 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, 39 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Longview
Longview has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (39 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
National Historic Site
39 mi awayLewis and Clark National Historical Park
National Historical Park
48 mi awayMount Rainier National Park
National Park
78 mi awayPublic Libraries in Longview
Longview Public Library
1600 Louisiana Street, Longview
Cities Near Longview
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Longview?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Longview FAQ
Is Longview, Washington affordable?⌄
Longview's median rent is $1,137/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $61,747/year. Median home value is $361,600.
Is Longview, Washington safe?⌄
Longview's violent crime rate was 302 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2789 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Longview, Washington?⌄
Longview has an unemployment rate of 5.3%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Longview, Washington?⌄
The cost of living in Longview is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,137/month and median household income is $61,747/year. The median home value is $361,600. About 53% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Longview, Washington?⌄
The average commute in Longview is 25 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from