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METRO AREA · 1990 CENSUS

Charleston Metro

Charleston, WV · 3 counties · 243,472 residents · 1,746 sq mi
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The short version

Charleston is home to 243,472 people. The typical home is worth $53,203. The median age is 36.3, about 3 years above the US median. Owners hold 70% of the housing stock. Median household income is $22,806, under the $30,130 national median. Median rent is $330 a month.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Older
median age 36.3
US median: 33.0
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
243,472
+3%vs 2000
vs 235,938 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
139 / sq mi
+3%vs 2000
vs 135 / sq mi in 2000
Median age
36.3
−9%vs 2000
vs 39.9 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
1,746 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
202K213K224K236K247K19902000201020202024Charleston
2024205K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 55.9%(14,364)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 96.4%(15,483)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.3%(17,875)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 197%(17,039)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 245.8%(14,137)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3415.3%(37,354)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4415.7%(38,241)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5410.9%(26,502)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 6410.5%(25,455)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 749.1%(22,172)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 844.7%(11,542)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.4%(3,308)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$22,806
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $32,380 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$12,241
−37%vs 2000
vs $19,351 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
17.5%
+1.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 15.8% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$53,203
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $71,309 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$330
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $427 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
69.6%
−2.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 71.6% in 2000
30.4% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic91.3%(215,430)
Black6%(14,041)
Hispanic / Latino0.6%(1,331)
Asian0.7%(1,707)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic93.5%(227,685)
Black5.7%(13,909)
Hispanic / Latino0.4%(1,003)
Asian0.5%(1,300)
Other0.2%(578)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican0.8%(1,557)
Puerto Rican0.2%(485)
Cuban0.1%(119)
Salvadoran0.1%(95)
Panamanian0.1%(90)
Colombian0%(85)
Spaniard0%(69)
Argentine0%(28)
Peruvian0%(24)
+ 4 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.6%(1,025)
Filipino0.2%(307)
Chinese0.1%(189)
Korean0.1%(143)
Pakistani0.1%(106)
Japanese0%(49)
Thai0%(43)
Burmese0%(28)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(13)
Ancestry
English16.7%(34,277)
Irish11.3%(23,285)
German10.6%(21,711)
American8.9%(18,299)
Italian2.7%(5,454)
Scottish2.2%(4,569)
Scotch-Irish1.9%(3,918)
Dutch1%(2,108)
Polish1%(2,094)
Arab0.7%(1,430)
French0.7%(1,415)
Welsh0.5%(1,076)
+ 40 more ancestry groups with data
Hungarian0.5%(1,030)
British0.5%(1,005)
Lebanese0.4%(791)
Greek0.4%(790)
Norwegian0.4%(659)
West Indian0.3%(487)
Russian0.3%(478)
Swedish0.2%(460)
Syrian0.3%(450)
Czech0.2%(373)
Swiss0.1%(254)
Jamaican0.1%(254)
Slovak0.1%(168)
Ukrainian0.1%(165)
Belgian0.1%(154)
Romanian0.1%(122)
Nigerian0.1%(118)
Guyanese0.1%(116)
Croatian0.1%(107)
Iranian0.1%(103)
Finnish0%(94)
Egyptian0%(80)
Danish0%(76)
Austrian0%(63)
Bulgarian0%(44)
Slovene0%(44)
Jordanian0%(43)
Turkish0%(36)
Canadian0%(26)
Brazilian0%(18)
Armenian0%(16)
Latvian0%(10)
Haitian0%(2)
Israeli0%(1)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
15.9%
−2.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 18.5% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
69.5%
−8.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 77.6% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
5.5%
−1.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 7.3% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.2 min
+20%vs 2000
vs 16.0 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married32.9%(27,338)
Married50.3%(41,804)
Widowed3.3%(2,753)
Divorced13.5%(11,265)
Women 15+
Never married26.3%(23,376)
Married45.3%(40,254)
Widowed12.8%(11,348)
Divorced15.7%(13,977)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
4.9%
−8.0 ptssince 2013
from 12.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
55.1%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 54.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
9.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 9.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
25.5%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 24.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
27.8%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 28.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.0%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 3.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
62.5%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 61.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
49.6%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 49.6% 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)20.5%(2,261)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)21.3%(2,344)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era39.6%(4,366)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5%(549)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.5%(51)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 11,023 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
In this metro

Largest cities

CharlestonCENTRAL46,117South Charleston13,072St. Albans10,210Cross Lanes9,671Dunbar7,050Nitro6,270Pinch4,037Sissonville3,593Madison2,678Alum Creek1,749Coal Fork1,423Marmet1,416Chesapeake1,270Tornado1,114Belle1,088Rand1,064Clendenin859East Bank772Cedar Grove682Glasgow682Elkview671Danville630Big Chimney610Chelyan564Jefferson534Institute521Dupont City501Pratt458West Dunbar425Clay363

The 30 most populous of 43 cities and towns in this metro. CENTRAL marks the metro's principal cities.

What's inside

3 component counties

Kanawha CountyCENTRAL172,381Boone County20,251Clay County7,538
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Charleston

Jackson
Pop 184,569
Joplin
Pop 208,796
Johnson City
Pop 216,416
Houma
Pop 199,668
Places similar to Charleston
Head to head

Compare Charleston side by side

CHARLESTON VS
Jackson
Income$60,896+167%
Home value$187,779+253%
Population184,569−8%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHARLESTON VS
Joplin
Income$62,065+172%
Home value$167,644+215%
Population208,796+4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHARLESTON VS
Johnson City
Income$58,506+157%
Home value$222,250+318%
Population216,416+8%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHARLESTON VS
Houma
Income$64,027+181%
Home value$190,386+258%
Population199,668same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Charleston, WV?

Charleston, WV has about 243,472 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Charleston, WV?

The typical household in Charleston, WV earns about $22,806 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Charleston, WV expensive?

In Charleston, WV, the median home is worth about $53,203, and the typical rent is about $330 a month.

How educated are people in Charleston, WV?

About 15.9% of adults age 25 and over in Charleston, WV hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Charleston, WV?

About 17.5% of people in Charleston, WV live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

Charleston, WV (1990): population, income & housing data · CensusEasy