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CITY

South Charleston

West Virginia · 13,072 residents (2025 est.) · 9.76 sq mi
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The short version

South Charleston is a city of 13,457 people in West Virginia. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $155,400. The foreign-born share is 1%. Median rent is $844 a month. Getting to work takes 19 minutes on average. There are 1,379 people per square mile.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.7
US median: 38.9
Average education
38% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
13,457
+1%since 2000
from 13,390 in 2000
13,072 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
1,379 / sq mi
+6%since 2009
from 1,295 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
41.7
−2%since 2000
from 42.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
9.76 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
12K13K13K13K14K19902000201020202024South Charleston
202413K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 53.3%(446)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95%(676)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147%(948)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.4%(858)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.2%(835)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3410.6%(1,422)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4416.2%(2,182)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.3%(1,654)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6411.6%(1,560)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.4%(1,536)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 847.2%(974)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.7%(366)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$63,884
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,905 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$37,767
+52%since 2000
from $24,928 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
45.0%
+20.0 ptssince 2009
from 25.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
16.9%
+4.8 ptssince 2000
from 12.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.408
−1%since 2010
from 0.413 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information16.3%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services9.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration8.1%
US avg: 4.8%
Finance & insurance7.5%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical7.5%
US avg: 5.1%
Retail trade6.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade3.5%
US avg: 6.9%
Arts, entertainment, food2%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.5%
US avg: 2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.8%
US avg: 1.6%
Manufacturing0.8%
US avg: 0.4%
Construction0%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services0%
US avg: 0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$155,400
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $83,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$844
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $446 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
70.6%
+3.8 ptssince 2000
from 66.8% in 2000
29.4% rent
Vacancy rate
11.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.17 people
−2%since 2009
from 2.22 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
11.0%
+1.5 ptssince 2009
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
45.4%
+15.1 ptssince 2009
from 30.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.4
+4%since 2009
from 2.3 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
53
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic90.5%(12,113)
Black6.6%(888)
Hispanic / Latino0.6%(75)
Asian0.8%(107)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic86.4%(11,623)
Black5.1%(682)
Hispanic / Latino2%(272)
Asian1.5%(202)
Other5%(678)
Diversity Score
31
−12%since 2009
from 35 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.4%(187)
Salvadoran0.1%(20)
Asian origin
Korean0.5%(73)
Asian Indian0.3%(36)
Burmese0.2%(28)
Filipino0.1%(20)
Vietnamese0.1%(10)
Japanese0.1%(7)
Ancestry
English17.2%(2,321)
German11.2%(1,502)
Irish10.6%(1,432)
American8.1%(1,088)
Scotch-Irish3.5%(467)
Italian2.2%(299)
Scottish1.6%(218)
French1.3%(169)
Swiss1.2%(158)
Dutch1.1%(149)
Welsh0.8%(113)
Norwegian0.6%(76)
+ 18 more ancestry groups with data
Hungarian0.5%(69)
Polish0.5%(62)
Greek0.3%(46)
Arab0.3%(40)
Belgian0.2%(26)
Turkish0.2%(26)
Lebanese0.1%(18)
Lithuanian0.1%(18)
Russian0.1%(18)
British0.1%(16)
West Indian0.1%(16)
Danish0.1%(14)
Austrian0.1%(11)
Syrian0.1%(10)
Croatian0.1%(10)
Slovak0.1%(9)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
37.8%
+9.7 ptssince 2000
from 28.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
95.9%
+7.9 ptssince 2000
from 88.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
14.2%
+4.0 ptssince 2000
from 10.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.3 min
+73%since 2000
from 11.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
76.1%
−7.4 ptssince 2009
from 83.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
10.4%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
2.2%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
8.9%
+7.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.2%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
10.3%
+3.9 ptssince 2009
from 6.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
7.0%
+0.3 ptssince 2011
from 6.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
62.9%
−0.7 ptssince 2011
from 63.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
76.9%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 78.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
15.2%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 14.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
44.3%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 43.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
46.5%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 45.2% in 2009
Female
53.5%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 54.8% in 2009
Foreign born
1.4%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
4.9%
−4.5 ptssince 2009
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
16.5%
+0.2 ptssince 2012
from 16.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.6%
−8.4 ptssince 2013
from 14.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
87.0%
+4.2 ptssince 2017
from 82.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
94.8%
+6.4 ptssince 2020
from 88.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
89.6%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 89.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
98.5%
+0.9 ptssince 2016
from 97.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
0.4%
−0.1 ptssince 2016
from 0.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married38.2%(2,031)
Married41.7%(2,214)
Widowed1.9%(101)
Divorced18.2%(967)
Women 15+
Never married26%(1,578)
Married38.7%(2,353)
Widowed9.3%(566)
Divorced26%(1,577)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
5.6%
−8.4 ptssince 2013
from 14.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
58.1%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 57.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
10.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 10.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
24.5%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 23.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
24.0%
−2.0 ptssince 2020
from 26.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.0%
−1.9 ptssince 2020
from 3.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
65.5%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 65.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
45.8%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 46.4% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)8.2%(43)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)25.8%(135)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era43.7%(229)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.3%(12)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 524 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Compare South Charleston to nearby cities

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SOUTH CHARLESTON VS
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SOUTH CHARLESTON VS
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SOUTH CHARLESTON VS
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Population14,151+8%
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Frequently asked

How many people live in South Charleston, West Virginia?

South Charleston, West Virginia has about 13,457 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in South Charleston, West Virginia?

The typical household in South Charleston, West Virginia earns about $63,884 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is South Charleston, West Virginia expensive?

In South Charleston, West Virginia, the median home is worth about $155,400, and the typical rent is about $844 a month.

How educated are people in South Charleston, West Virginia?

About 37.8% of adults age 25 and over in South Charleston, West Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in South Charleston, West Virginia?

About 16.9% of people in South Charleston, West Virginia live below the federal poverty line.

Has South Charleston, West Virginia grown since 1990?

Yes, South Charleston, West Virginia has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 188 residents, a change of about -1 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →