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Living in
Charleston.
About
Life in Charleston
If you're seriously considering a move to Charleston, here's what daily life actually looks like: This is a college town of about 17,200 people anchored by Eastern Illinois University, which means a younger-leaning demographic (median age 30.9), a relatively educated population, and a built-in community calendar around campus life and events like the annual Coles County Fair. The job market is quiet but stable—unemployment sits at 3.9%, and while manufacturing jobs from companies like Vesuvius USA and ITW Hi-Cone provide steady work, most residents either work at the university, in education, or are willing to commute short distances; your average commute is just 15 minutes, so you're not stuck in traffic. Housing costs are genuinely affordable compared to most of the country, with median home values around $137,400 and median rent at $819 a month, though you should know that nearly 16% of housing units are vacant and the rental market has some softness to it.
Charleston at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
29.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
26.3%
Foreign-Born
4.0%
Broadband Internet
84.3%
of households
Population Growth
-0.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.0% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Charleston: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Charleston, the largest foreign-born group is from India (20.1%), and 1.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
11.8%
of residents
65 and Older
15.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
17.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
41.4%
of households
Married Couples
35.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
1.85
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 36% below IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Charleston
In Charleston, rent runs 36% below the IL average, and home values are 48% below the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
47.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
27.3%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,818
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
48.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1977
median year built
Vacant Homes
9.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $165,733 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts below IL average
Unemployment in Charleston
Unemployment in Coles County, which includes Charleston, is 0.8 percentage points lower than the IL average.
Unemployment rate
Charleston: Coles County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Coles County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Charleston Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute15.2 min avg
How Charleston residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Charleston, most residents drive alone to work (70%), and 85% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 38 mi
University of Illinois Willard Airport (CMI)
Regional airport · few flights87k passengers boarded in 2025
- 101 mi
Indianapolis International Airport (IND)
Medium hub5.2M 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 23% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Charleston runs 23% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
254.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,606.3
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Charleston Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 21 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
70.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Coles County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Coles County, which includes Charleston, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 21 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 9 | Flash Flood | None reported |
| 2021 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $75,000 |
| 2019 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $60,000 |
| 2018 | 9 | Hail | $2.1M |
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.
2 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Coles County, county-wide
Air Quality33 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Clark County, IL (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 23 miles from Charleston) is typically good — 333 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
33
Good Days
333
per year
Moderate Days
22
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Clark County, IL (23 mi away)
Climate87°F summers, 24°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Charleston has warm summers (avg high 87°F) and cold winters (avg low 24°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
66°/44°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
87°/65°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
68°/46°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
41°/24°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
43.8"
Annual Snowfall
19.0"
Hot Days/Year
34
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
105
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
120
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°F | 21°F | 2.54" |
| Feb | 43°F | 25°F | 2.69" |
| Mar | 54°F | 34°F | 3.11" |
| Apr | 67°F | 44°F | 5.09" |
| May | 77°F | 54°F | 4.52" |
| Jun | 86°F | 63°F | 4.84" |
| Jul | 88°F | 66°F | 4.40" |
| Aug | 87°F | 64°F | 2.94" |
| Sep | 81°F | 57°F | 3.15" |
| Oct | 69°F | 46°F | 3.94" |
| Nov | 54°F | 35°F | 3.74" |
| Dec | 42°F | 26°F | 2.79" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Charleston
Uninsured
5.3%
of residents
No hospitals inside Charleston's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.2 mi away · Mattoon
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.
Education15.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Charleston
Charleston's student/teacher ratio is 15.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 33.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
33.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Charleston
Public · 4-year · 4,188 students · in-state tuition $14,654 · 58% graduate · median earnings $55,885 (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: George Rogers Clark National Historical Park, 65 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Charleston
Charleston has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being George Rogers Clark National Historical Park (65 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
George Rogers Clark National Historical Park
National Historical Park
65 mi awayLincoln Home National Historic Site
National Historic Site
81 mi awaySpringfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument
National Monument
81 mi awayPublic Libraries in Charleston
Charleston Carnegie Public Library
712 Sixth Street, Charleston
Cities Near Charleston
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Charleston?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Charleston FAQ
Is Charleston, Illinois affordable?⌄
Charleston's median rent is $817/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $49,300/year. Median home value is $137,400.
Is Charleston, Illinois safe?⌄
Charleston's violent crime rate was 254 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1606 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Charleston, Illinois?⌄
Coles County, which includes Charleston, has an unemployment rate of 3.8%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Charleston, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Charleston is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $817/month and median household income is $49,300/year. The median home value is $137,400. About 48% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Charleston, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Charleston is 15 minutes, which is shorter than 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