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Living in
Charleston.
About
Life in Charleston
Living in Charleston means settling into a stable, slower-paced Appalachian city where you can actually afford to own a home—median values sit around $203,000 with median household income near $65,000, and rental apartments average under $900 monthly. The job market is reasonably solid with unemployment under 4%, driven by state government, utilities like Appalachian Power, and some manufacturing, though don't expect explosive job growth or salary bumps. Weather-wise, expect real seasons: summers get hot and humid with frequent thunderstorms, winters are chilly but rarely brutal with only occasional heavy snow, and spring is genuinely unpredictable with wild temperature swings.
Charleston at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
43.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.8%
Foreign-Born
4.5%
Broadband Internet
90.7%
of households
Population Growth
-5.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.5% 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 (26.9%), and 1.5% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
19.1%
of residents
65 and Older
21.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
22.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
39.6%
of households
Married Couples
38.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.15
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 about average for WV
Rent, home values, and income in Charleston
In Charleston, home values are 25% above the WV average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
42.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
20.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
88.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,447
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
63.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1957
median year built
Vacant Homes
17.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $162,391 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for WV
Unemployment in Charleston
Unemployment in Charleston is close to the WV average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Charleston Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute16.9 min avg
How Charleston residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Charleston, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 88% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
Yeager Airport (CRW)
Regional airport · few flights220k 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 81% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Charleston runs 81% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
596.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
3,803.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Charleston Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 43 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
94.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Kanawha County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Kanawha County, which includes Charleston, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 43 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 43 | Thunderstorm Wind | $53,200 |
| 2024 | 28 | Strong Wind | $805,400 |
| 2023 | 22 | Thunderstorm Wind | $4.5M |
| 2022 | 32 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.1M |
| 2021 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $272,500 |
| 2020 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $727,000 |
| 2019 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.5M |
| 2018 | 32 | Thunderstorm Wind | $332,500 |
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.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Kanawha County, county-wide
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Kanawha County, which includes Charleston, is typically good — 281 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
39
Good Days
281
per year
Moderate Days
84
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Kanawha County, county-wide
Climate85°F summers, 28°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Charleston has warm summers (avg high 85°F) and cold winters (avg low 28°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
67°/44°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
85°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
69°/46°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
46°/28°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
46.2"
Annual Snowfall
31.5"
Hot Days/Year
24
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
94
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
151
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°F | 26°F | 3.27" |
| Feb | 48°F | 29°F | 3.36" |
| Mar | 57°F | 35°F | 4.14" |
| Apr | 69°F | 45°F | 3.56" |
| May | 76°F | 53°F | 4.93" |
| Jun | 83°F | 62°F | 4.72" |
| Jul | 86°F | 66°F | 5.38" |
| Aug | 85°F | 64°F | 3.75" |
| Sep | 80°F | 57°F | 3.46" |
| Oct | 69°F | 45°F | 2.91" |
| Nov | 57°F | 36°F | 3.20" |
| Dec | 48°F | 30°F | 3.56" |
Healthcare3 hospitals, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Charleston
Charleston has 3 hospitals, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
3
within city limits
Uninsured
4.0%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Charleston Area Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Camc Charleston Surgical Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals
Highland Hospital
Psychiatric
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Thomas Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.1 mi away · South Charleston
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.
Education11.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Charleston
Charleston's student/teacher ratio is 11.6:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 45.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
18
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
45.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Charleston
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,259 students · in-state tuition $33,990 · 56% graduate · median earnings $56,207 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
BridgeValley Community & Technical College
3.6 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 1,854 students · in-state tuition $5,800 · 45% graduate · median earnings $42,493 (10 yrs after entry)
West Virginia Junior College-Charleston
10 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 2-year · 394 students · in-state tuition $22,025 · 56% graduate · median earnings $32,951 (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: Gauley River National Recreation Area, 35 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Charleston
Charleston has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Gauley River National Recreation Area (35 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Gauley River National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
35 mi awayNew River Gorge National Park & Preserve
National Park & Preserve
48 mi awayBluestone National Scenic River
National Scenic River
65 mi awayPublic Libraries in Charleston
Kanawha County Public Library
123 Capitol St., 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, West Virginia affordable?⌄
Charleston's median rent is $908/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $65,812/year. Median home value is $203,300.
Is Charleston, West Virginia safe?⌄
Charleston's violent crime rate was 596 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3804 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Charleston, West Virginia?⌄
Charleston has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Charleston, West Virginia?⌄
The cost of living in Charleston is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $908/month and median household income is $65,812/year. The median home value is $203,300. About 42% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Charleston, West Virginia?⌄
The average commute in Charleston is 17 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