City profile
Charleston, WV
West Virginia’s capital with mountain views, low costs and a regional medical center.
Climate
Climate type
Four seasons
Winter avg
34°F
Summer avg
75°F
Sunny days / yr
165
Home prices & cost of living
Median home price
$170,000
Typical monthly housing
$1,121
Cost of living (100 = U.S.)
85
Taxes
- Property tax
- 0.55%
- State income tax (top)
- 4.82%
- Social Security
- Not taxed
- Pensions
- Partly exempt
- Sales tax (state + avg. local)
- 6.59%
FEMA natural hazard risk
Relatively High · county score 95/100
Top hazards: Riverine flooding, Landslide, Heat wave
Nearest major airport
132 mi to John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH)
Political lean (2024 county vote)
Leans Republican · 38% Democratic / 60% Republican
Demographics (Census ACS)
Population (2024)
47,421
Growth since 2019
-1.2%
Median age
43.0
Residents 65+
21.5%
Median household income
$65,812
Income growth since 2019
+51.8%
Black household income
$33,000
Home ownership
63.3%
Poverty rate
15.8%
Poverty rate, 65+
12.4%
Race & ethnicity: Black 9.5% · White 76.4% · Hispanic 2.2% · Asian 2.6% · Other 9.3%
Crime (per 100,000 residents, 2025)
Violent crime
596 · 81% above the national average
Property crime
3,804 · 145% above the national average
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer, Charleston Police Department. State average: violent 265, property 1,085.
2025–2026 trends
2026 market trends
- ▸More retirees are leaving WV than arriving, mostly over cost
- ▸Climate/cost risks to check: flooding
Highlights
- Very affordable
- Mountain scenery
- Regional medical center
Trade-offs
- Flooding
- Slow economy
Figures are estimates from public sources (see How we match). Verify before making decisions.