The Town FilesCharleston, West Virginia
City in Kanawha County · population 48,864 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $203,300
- Household income
- $65,812
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 32 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 43.0
Charleston is a city of 48,864 people in Kanawha County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $203,300, above the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks better transit than 96% of West Virginia towns, better for young professionals than 95% of West Virginia towns, more walkable than 94% of West Virginia towns.
How Charleston ranks
Percentile among West Virginia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of West Virginia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Charleston is worth $203,300, above the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $65,812, which is more affordable than 24% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $908 a month. 63.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Charleston | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $203,300 | $125,000 |
| Median rent | $908 | $811 |
| Median household income | $65,812 | $52,093 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 63.3% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Charleston
| People | Charleston | Typical West Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.0 | 43.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.1% | 21.9% |
| Under 18 | 19.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.2% | 18.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.8% | 18.6% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.5% | — |
| Work from home | 13.0% | 6.6% |
| Average commute | 16.9 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.7% | 86.7% |
Weather in Charleston
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 26.1°F. About 46.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.5 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 94 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Charleston since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on April 2, 2024 about 5.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 2, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 66 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on October 7, 2014.
Severe weather in Kanawha County since 1996
Kanawha County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, chemical.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 7, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4953: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3639: Severe Winter Storm |
| May 24, 2024 | Flood | DR-4787: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| May 22, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4783: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 30, 2024 | Flood | DR-4756: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Kanawha County
Kanawha County had 97,845 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,997 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Charleston itself the ACS puts it at 6.5%.
Public schools in Charleston
28 public schools with 10,365 students, about 12.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Washington High School | 9-12 | 1,186 | 22.8 |
| Capital High School | 9-12 | 1,042 | 13.9 |
| John Adams Middle School | 6-8 | 708 | 18.6 |
| Sissonville High School | 9-12 | 572 | 15.1 |
| Sissonville Middle School | 5-8 | 513 | 16.0 |
| Andrew Jackson Middle School | 6-8 | 494 | 16.5 |
| Elk Elementary Center | PK-5 | 479 | 12.9 |
| Flinn Elementary School | PK-4 | 420 | 13.1 |
| Horace Mann Middle School | 6-8 | 395 | 14.6 |
| Edgewood Elementary | PK-5 | 372 | 10.6 |
| West Side Middle School | 6-8 | 354 | 10.7 |
| Mary C. Snow West Side Elementary | PK-5 | 341 | 10.0 |
Towns near Charleston
- South Charleston, WV4.3 mi · 13,647 people · home $155,400
- Dunbar, WV5.8 mi · 7,480 people · home $119,600
- Pinch, WV9.3 mi · 2,914 people · home $221,500
- Cross Lanes, WV9.6 mi · 9,727 people · home $153,800
- St. Albans, WV10.3 mi · 10,861 people · home $140,800
- Nitro, WV10.5 mi · 6,624 people · home $128,900
- Sissonville, WV10.6 mi · 4,084 people · home $180,800
- Teays Valley, WV17.2 mi · 14,350 people · home $278,000
Charleston questions
Is Charleston, West Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Charleston scores better for retirees than 32% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 15%. 21.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.0).
How much does a house cost in Charleston?
The median owner-occupied home in Charleston is valued at $203,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,812, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $908 a month.
What is the weather like in Charleston?
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 26.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.2 inches of precipitation a year and 31.5 inches of snow.
Does Charleston get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Charleston since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on April 2, 2024. The typical West Virginia town has had 5.
- 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)