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CITY · 2020 ACS

South Charleston

West Virginia · 13,647 residents · 9.76 sq mi
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The short version

South Charleston is a city of 13,647 people in West Virginia. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $127,500. 3% of residents were born outside the United States. The average commute runs 16 minutes. At a median age of 42.6, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Renters pay $691 a month at the median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 42.6
US median: 38.8
Average education
32% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

13,647
+2%since 2000
from 13,390 in 2000
1990 – 2025
42.6
Unchangedsince 2000
from 42.4 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
9.76 sq mi
Population, 19902024
12K13K13K13K14K19902000201020202024South Charleston
202413K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.5%(748)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96%(818)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 145.7%(772)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 195.2%(703)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.9%(673)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412.6%(1,726)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4413.1%(1,791)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5410.9%(1,490)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6414.4%(1,960)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7413.1%(1,789)
US avg: 10%
75 to 846%(822)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.6%(355)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$51,021
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,905 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$32,742
+31%since 2000
from $24,928 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
32.8%
+7.8 ptssince 2009
from 25.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
17.7%
+5.7 ptssince 2000
from 12.1% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information12.3%
US avg: 11.1%
Other services7.3%
US avg: 6.6%
Public administration5.5%
US avg: 4.7%
Retail trade4.8%
US avg: 10%
Finance & insurance4.7%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical4.5%
US avg: 4.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.6%
US avg: 1.7%
Manufacturing1.6%
US avg: 0.5%
Wholesale trade1.4%
US avg: 6.7%
Arts, entertainment, food1%
US avg: 2%
Transportation & warehousing0.4%
US avg: 2.5%
Education & health services0.1%
US avg: 0.8%
Construction0%
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$127,500
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $83,600 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$691
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $446 in 2000
US average: $1,124
68.0%
+1.2 ptssince 2000
from 66.8% in 2000
32.0% rent
2.13 people
−4%since 2009
from 2.22 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
2.5
+7%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.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic90.5%(12,113)
Black6.6%(888)
Hispanic / Latino0.6%(75)
Asian0.8%(107)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic83%(11,329)
Black8.1%(1,109)
Hispanic / Latino1.8%(252)
Asian1.2%(169)
Other6%(815)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Cuban1%(130)
Guatemalan0.4%(44)
Mexican0.3%(42)
Asian origin
Asian Indian1.4%(176)
Filipino0.9%(106)
Pakistani0.5%(66)
Korean0.3%(41)
Chinese0.1%(9)
Japanese0.1%(8)
Ancestry
American14.4%(1,793)
German12.8%(1,591)
Irish12.5%(1,562)
English10.7%(1,332)
Scotch-Irish3.6%(450)
Italian3.3%(414)
Scottish2.4%(294)
French1.4%(177)
Norwegian1.4%(170)
Dutch1.2%(152)
Polish1.2%(147)
+ 15 more ancestry groups with data
Slovak0.6%(70)
Swiss0.6%(70)
British0.5%(57)
Greek0.4%(51)
Welsh0.4%(48)
Austrian0.3%(37)
Hungarian0.2%(28)
Arab0.2%(21)
Lebanese0.1%(13)
Brazilian0.1%(13)
Lithuanian0.1%(10)
Finnish0.1%(8)
Romanian0.1%(7)
Czech0%(5)
Section 05

Education

32.0%
+3.9 ptssince 2000
from 28.1% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
97.0%
+9.0 ptssince 2000
from 88.0% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
13.8%
+3.7 ptssince 2000
from 10.2% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

16.3 min
+46%since 2000
from 11.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
81.7%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 83.5% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
10.1%
+3.7 ptssince 2009
from 6.4% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

6.4%
−0.2 ptssince 2011
from 6.6% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
61.8%
−1.8 ptssince 2011
from 63.6% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
78.0%
US average: 73.3%
42.6%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 43.9% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

46.4%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 45.2% in 2009
53.6%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 54.8% in 2009
2.6%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
4.6%
−9.4 ptssince 2013
from 14.0% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
88.4%
US average: 91.9%
89.6%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
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

4.6%
−9.4 ptssince 2013
from 14.0% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
57.0%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
10.3%
US average: 13.7%
23.5%
US average: 17.6%
26.0%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
3.9%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
65.8%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
46.4%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)18.9%(150)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)22.8%(181)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era24.5%(194)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War7.4%(59)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II2%(16)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 793 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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Frequently asked

How many people live in South Charleston, West Virginia?

South Charleston, West Virginia has about 13,647 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in South Charleston, West Virginia earns about $51,021 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 $127,500, and the typical rent is about $691 a month.

How educated are people in South Charleston, West Virginia?

About 32.0% 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 17.7% 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 grown since 1990. The population has added about 2 residents, a change of about 0 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 →