Charleston, West Virginia Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Charleston, WV Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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C
Health Below average
-
C
Income Below average
-
B
Education Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Charleston | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 42,121 | 1,778,099 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1294.6 | 73.4 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.71% | -0.47% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 41.7 | 40.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 18,953 | 728,564 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Charleston declined by 7.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 42,121 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Charleston is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 21.2% of residents. That is about the same share as West Virginia.
- Gen Z 13–28 8,512 20.2% +0.4 pts
- Millennials 29–44 8,704 20.7% +1.5 pts
- Gen X 45–60 8,944 21.2% on par
- Boomers 61–79 8,547 20.3% -0.9 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below West Virginia, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 52.2% of the people living in Charleston and men 47.8%.
- Women 52.2% West Virginia 50.3%
- Men 47.8% West Virginia 49.7%
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Economy
Charleston has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Charleston | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $65,171 | $59,640 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.57% | 4.26% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.9% | 5.4% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Charleston is about 9% higher than in West Virginia.
Housing
| Metric | Charleston | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $78,975 | $94,699 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $919 | $871 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 62.4% | 74.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Charleston is about 7.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $919 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Charleston spend about 31 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 127 hours, about 5.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Charleston | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 15.3 | 21.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 30.6 | 43.2 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 127 | 180 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,946 | $5,581 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 12.8% | 9.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 17,412 | 7,243 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,991 | 1,052 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Charleston is 15 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in West Virginia.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Charleston has a education index of B, which means it is quite educated.
| Metric | Charleston | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.5% | 21.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.15 | 2.37 | 2.53 |
Health
Charleston has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Charleston | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 74.3 | 76.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 22.1% | 23.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 22.8% | 25.3% | 19.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Charleston, West Virginia.
What is the population of Charleston, West Virginia?
About 42,121 people live in Charleston, West Virginia, in 18,953 households of 2.1 people on average. The median age is 41.7, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 4 years.
Is Charleston, West Virginia urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Charleston, West Virginia has 1,295 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 15 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Charleston, West Virginia?
The median home costs 1.2 times the median household income ($78,975 against $65,171), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $919 a month takes about 17% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Charleston, West Virginia?
Unemployment in Charleston, West Virginia is 6.9%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
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