Economic Development


Major Employers - Cowlitz County

   
Company
Employees
Peace Health / St. John Medical Center
1650
Longview Fibre Company (Kraft Paper)
1600
Weyerhaeuser
1539
Kelso School District  
832
Longview School District  
773
Foster Farms (Chicken Processing)
707
J.H. Kelly  
600
Cowlitz County  
549
Safeway (Grocery Store)
454
NORPAC (Newsprint)
450
Lower Columbia College
399
City of Longview
352
Walmart (Department Store)
321
Kaiser Permanente  
263
Fred Meyer  
260
RSG Forest Products  
252
ommunity Home Health and Hospice
240
PNE Corporation  
213
Koelsch Senior Communities  
210
Emerald Kalama Chemicals (Chemicals)
150
Cowlitz County - 2011
 
Total Firms
2,899
Total Employment
38,000
Average Annual Wage
$37,332
Average Annual Unemployment
6,970

 

Washington Tax Structure


Personal Income Tax - None

Retail Sales and Use Tax - 6.5% state tax plus county and transit district tax. Incorporated areas of Cowlitz County combined with state tax is 7.6%. Unincorporated areas of Cowlitz County are 7.8%.

Unemployment Insurance - 0.52% to 6.03% of first $37,300 wage base.

Workers Compensation - Employers can choose between self-insurance and the State Fund. Rates vary depending on risk classification. For rate information contact State of WA Dept. of Labor & Industries 360.575.6900 or 1.877.561.FILE.

Business and Occupation Tax (rates per $1,000 of gross sales)
Manufacturing & Wholesale $ 4.84
Retailing $ 4.71
Services $18.00

Source: State of Washington Department of Revenue

Comprehensive 4 page economic profile PDF available here





Economic Growth and Trends

Cowlitz County  
2011 Population
102,410
2009 Real Estate Sales
$160,000
2009 Births
1,299
2010 Deaths
1,014
2009 Building Permits
$50,136,237
   
City of Longview  
2011 Population
36,562
2011 Postal Units Served
19,381
2009 Building Permits
$29,931,546
   
City Of Kelso  
2011 Population
11,916
2011 Postal Units Served
11,366
2009 Building Permits
$4,599,416
   
Other  
Lewis & Clark Bridge Traffic
7,665,000
Cowlitz County Size
1,166 sq. mi.
Annual Inflation 2008
3.80%
Electricity per KWH (res)
.0512 cents
Electricity per KWH (com)
.0625 cents
2008 Wa. State Population
6,468,424

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Kelso and Longview have the Council-Manager form of government.

Longview:

Levy rate - $3.03/$1,000 .
Diking levy - $0.471/$1,000 .
Police Dept - 57 sworn officers and 41 police vehicles.
Fire department- 36 full time, 3 students, 3 shift battalion chiefs, 3 engines, and 1 ladder truck.
Fire insurance classification - Class 4 Rating.


Kelso:

Levy rate- $1.76/$1,000
Diking levy- $1.316/$1,000
Police Dept - 28 sworn officers and 8 vehicles.
Fire service provided by Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue 28 full time shift personnel, 8 engines, 0 tower, 5 basic & 4 advance life support vehicles Fire insurance classification - Class 5 rating.

RESOURCES:
Cowlitz Economic Development Council 1452 Hudson Street, Suite 208 P.O. Box 1278 Longview, WA 98632 Phone: 360/423-9921

Lower Columbia Economic Development Council P.O. Box 243 Cathlamet, WA 98612 Phone: 360/795-3996