Chehalis, Washington
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Chehalis (pronounced ) is a city located in Lewis County, Washington. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 7,057. It is the county seat of Lewis CountyTemplate:GR.
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History
Chehalis was officially incorporated on November 23, 1883.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 14.5 km² (5.6 mi²). 14.5 km² (5.6 mi²) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water.
The city straddles Interstate 5 at a point almost exactly halfway between Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The historic downtown and most of the city's amenities lie on the east side of the freeway, nestled at the base of a small range of forested hills. On the west side of the freeway are parks, farms, and a few subdivisions developed in the hills to the west. A small airport is located immediately west of the freeway towards the northern end of the city. From numerous vantage points in the hills just west of town, one can see Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, and Mount St. Helens—weather permitting.
The Chehalis River winds its way through the valley in which the city resides, and is there joined by a tributary, the Newaukum River. Both rivers are prone to flooding during periods of abnormally heavy or persistent rain, and the lowlands from the freeway westward are particularly susceptible to inundation.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 7,057 people, 2,671 households, and 1,696 families residing in the city. The population density is 485.7/km² (1,259.0/mi²). There are 2,871 housing units at an average density of 197.6/km² (512.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 89.56% White, 1.35% African American, 1.46% Native American, 1.20% Asian, 0.24% Pacific Islander, 3.95% from other races, and 2.24% from two or more races. 7.91% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 2,671 households out of which 33.2% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% are married couples living together, 14.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% are non-families. 30.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 15.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.46 and the average family size is 3.06.
In the city the population is spread out with 29.2% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100 females there are 102.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 94.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $33,482, and the median income for a family is $41,387. Males have a median income of $32,289 versus $24,414 for females. The per capita income for the city is $15,944. 19.8% of the population and 16.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 27.6% of those under the age of 18 and 8.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Politics
Like the rest of Lewis County, Chehalis is heavily Republican and conservative, although slightly less so than the county as a whole. The results for the 2004 U.S. Presidential Election were as follows:
- George W. Bush (Republican) - 1,764 (62.05%)
- John F. Kerry (Democrat) - 1,028 (36.16%)
- Ralph Nader (Independent) - 34 (1.20%)
- Other candidates - 17 (0.60%)
External links
Template:Mapit-US-cityscale Chehalis.net Local internet portal site (http://www.chehalis.net)