The Town FilesCharleston, Tennessee
City in Bradley County · population 664 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $217,400
- Household income
- $72,763
- Jan low / Jul high
- 29° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 39
- Median age
- 38.2
Charleston is a city of 664 people in Bradley County, Tennessee. The median home is worth $217,400, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). It ranks better for families than 87% of Tennessee towns, better for young professionals than 78% of Tennessee towns, more of a college town than 75% of Tennessee towns.
How Charleston ranks
Percentile among Tennessee towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Tennessee towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Charleston is worth $217,400, above the typical Tennessee town ($204,650). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $72,763, which is more affordable than 76% of Tennessee towns. Median rent is $881 a month. 78.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Charleston | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $217,400 | $204,650 |
| Median rent | $881 | $863 |
| Median household income | $72,763 | $57,917 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 78.7% | 69.7% |
| Median year built | 1994 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Charleston
| People | Charleston | Typical Tennessee town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.2 | 40.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.0% | 18.4% |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.4% | 18.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.3% | 14.2% |
| Veterans | 7.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 3.2% | 8.2% |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.0% | 88.2% |
Weather in Charleston
July highs average 89.0°F and January lows 29.4°F. About 57.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.1 inches of snow (typical Tennessee town: 3.5 in). Expect about 36 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 80 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
39 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Charleston since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Tennessee town. 20 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on April 27, 2011 about 5.7 miles from the town center and killed 4. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 15 deaths and 447 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 12, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 44 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 7, 1985.
Severe weather in Bradley County since 1996
Bradley County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4898: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3635: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 2, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3625: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 24, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4541: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4514: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Bradley County
Bradley County had 40,665 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,379 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Charleston itself the ACS puts it at 1.3%.
Public schools in Charleston
1 public school with 342 students, about 14.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston Elementary School | PK-5 | 342 | 14.3 |
Towns near Charleston
- Calhoun, TN1.6 mi · 536 people · home $179,700
- Riceville, TN8.0 mi · 688 people · home $286,500
- Hopewell, TN9.2 mi · 2,087 people · home $305,600
- Cleveland, TN9.6 mi · 47,356 people · home $272,200
- Benton, TN9.8 mi · 1,523 people · home $184,200
- East Cleveland, TN10.6 mi · 1,725 people · home $124,100
- Delano, TN11.4 mi · 777 people · home $163,500
- Etowah, TN13.6 mi · 3,603 people · home $190,800
Charleston questions
Is Charleston, Tennessee a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Charleston scores better for retirees than 56% of Tennessee towns and quieter than 41%. 12.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.2).
How much does a house cost in Charleston?
The median owner-occupied home in Charleston is valued at $217,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,763, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $881 a month.
What is the weather like in Charleston?
July highs average 89.0°F and January lows 29.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 57.6 inches of precipitation a year and 1.1 inches of snow.
Does Charleston get tornadoes?
39 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Charleston since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on April 27, 2011. The typical Tennessee town has had 16.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)