Best Life Index › States › West Virginia › Cities › Charleston

West Virginia city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Charleston?

What it costs to live in Charleston, and how it compares with other West Virginia cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

45

7th best value in West Virginia

How much you get for what you pay, versus other West Virginia cities.

Overall livability

62

4th overall in West Virginia

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Charleston is home to about 49,055 people. A typical home runs $157,000 and a household earns around $54,100, a price-to-income ratio of 2.9. Among West Virginia's cities, it ranks 7th for value and 4th overall.

Charleston at a glance

Median home price

$157,000

8th in WV of 10

Median rent

$800/mo

Median household income

$54,100

Home price to income

2.9x

Unemployment

6.3%

3rd in WV of 10

School rating

4/10

1st in WV of 10

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in WV of 10

Walk score

4/100

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‹ See all top West Virginia cities ranked  ยท  West Virginia state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within West Virginia only. Updated 2026.