Charleston, WV
Census place 5414600 · pop 47,421
The capital and largest city of West Virginia, sitting at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha rivers.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.55 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
20.2% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
17.7% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
40.2% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
30.6% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-1.2% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
15.8% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$65,812 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
90.7% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
63.3% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
80/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.3% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
40 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$203,300 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.71% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
7.4% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
45.2% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,339/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
17 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
Not measured for Charleston: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Charleston, WV a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Charleston scores 56/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is commute time and its weakest is income inequality. West Virginia overall ranks #17 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- Is Charleston, WV expensive to live in?
- Charleston has a median home value of $203,300 and typical rent around $1,339/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Charleston, WV?
- Its weakest measured area is income inequality (0.55) — 3/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Charleston, WV best at?
- Its strongest measured area is commute time (17 min) — 90/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: The capital and largest city of West Virginia, sitting at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha rivers.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.