United States › Charleston METRO AREA · 2020 ACS
Charleston Metro Charleston, WV · 3 counties · 210,605 residents · 1,746 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Charleston is a metro area of 210,605 people. The median age is 44.2, about 5 years above the US median. The typical home is worth $110,187, having risen by half since 2000. 2% of residents were born outside the United States. About 24% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Renters pay $731 a month at the median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 44.2
US median: 38.8
Less educated
24% 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 121 / sq mi
−11%since 2000
from 135 / sq mi in 2000
from 39.9 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
202K 213K 224K 236K 247K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Charleston Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $46,476
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,380 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $19,351 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 22.4% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 15.8% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Public administration 4.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.2%
Transportation & warehousing 1.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.8%
Education & health services 1.4%
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$110,187
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $71,309 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$731
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $427 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 71.6% in 2000
30.7% rent
from 2.28 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 2.3 in 2009
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-Hispanic 91.3%(215,430)
Hispanic / Latino 0.6%(1,331)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 86%(181,098)
Hispanic / Latino 1.4%(2,905)
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 40 more ancestry groups with data from 18.5% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 77.6% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 7.3% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 16.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 80.9% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.4% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 58.5% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 33.9% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 12.9% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 32.9%(27,338)
Women 15+
Never married 26.3%(23,376)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 12.9% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
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) 17.2%(2,252)
Gulf War (1990s) 17.2%(2,257)
Share of the 13,102 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.
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In this metro
Largest cities CharlestonCENTRAL 46,117 South Charleston 13,072 St. Albans 10,210 Cross Lanes 9,671 Dunbar 7,050 Nitro 6,270 Pinch 4,037 Sissonville 3,593 Madison 2,678 Alum Creek 1,749 Coal Fork 1,423 Marmet 1,416 Chesapeake 1,270 Tornado 1,114 Belle 1,088 Rand 1,064 Clendenin 859 East Bank 772 Cedar Grove 682 Glasgow 682 Elkview 671 Danville 630 Big Chimney 610 Chelyan 564 Jefferson 534 Institute 521 Dupont City 501 Pratt 458 West Dunbar 425 Clay 363 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 Drill deeper
Metros similar to Charleston Head to head
Compare Charleston side by side CHARLESTON VS
Jackson
Income $60,896 +31%
Home value $187,779 +70%
Population 184,569 −8%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHARLESTON VS
Joplin
Income $62,065 +34%
Home value $167,644 +52%
Population 208,796 +4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHARLESTON VS
Johnson City
Income $58,506 +26%
Home value $222,250 +102%
Population 216,416 +8%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHARLESTON VS
Houma
Income $64,027 +38%
Home value $190,386 +73%
Population 199,668 same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Charleston, WV? Charleston, WV has about 210,605 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Charleston, WV? The typical household in Charleston, WV earns about $46,476 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 $110,187, and the typical rent is about $731 a month.
How educated are people in Charleston, WV? About 24.2% 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 17.8% of people in Charleston, WV live below the federal poverty line.
Has Charleston, WV grown since 1990? Yes, Charleston, WV has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 32,867 residents, a change of about -13 percent over that period.
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