Chehalis, WA: Local News, Events & Neighbors

Chehalis ( shə-HAY-liss) is a city in and the county seat of Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 7,439 at the time of the 2020 census. The city is located in the Chehalis valley and is split by Interstate 5 (I-5) and State Route 6. It is twinned with the bordering city of Centralia. The community of Newaukum and the city of Napavine lie directly south, with the community of Adna to the west. Due to the city's location on the Chehalis River, and the nearby confluences of the Newaukum and Skookumchuck rivers, Chehalis has experienced several historic flooding events during its history. Incorporated in 1883, Chehalis was primarily a logging and railroad town, with a shi…

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How Chehalis ranks

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#33Cheapest rent in WA #37Lowest property tax in WA #53Most affordable in WA All WA rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code98532

Area code360

Living in Chehalis

Housing in Chehalis

$480K▲ 2% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Chehalis home is worth about $480,000, up 2% in a year, 19% below the Washington typical home.

Only 4 sales in May 2026, too few for a market read. The typical value is the steadier guide.

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Chehalis

D

Safety Grade D

Chehalis reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 92% report less.

Violent crime per 1,000

Chehalis 3.1

Washington 2.9

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Chehalis 29.4

Washington 20.2

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Schools in Chehalis

All Chehalis schools →

B⁻

School Grade B-

The public schools Chehalis’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 54% of Washington’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.

DistrictChehalis School DistrictSchools9

Orin C Smith Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades 3–5 · 647 students James W Lintott Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades PK–2 · 634 students St. Joseph SchoolElementary · Grades PK–8 · 131 students Chehalis Middle SchoolMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 692 students W F West High SchoolHigh · Grades 9–12 · 950 students Green Hill Academic SchoolHigh · Grades 9–12 · 163 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within WA. Ratings are from neighbors.

Famous people from ChehalisWriters, athletes, leaders and more who were born in Chehalis.Meet them →