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Neighborhood report

Charleston, WV

Founded 1786Kanawha CountyElev. 597 m
Population
47,918
Median home
$187,300
Disaster risk
Relatively High
Public schools
29
Sex offenders
16

Overview

About Charleston

Charleston is home to roughly 47,918 residents. Charleston was founded in 1786 and sits in Kanawha County. The median age is 42.6 and the median household income is $64,512. Homes carry a median value of $187,300, and about 63% of residents own where they live. White residents make up the largest share of the population (75.9%). Around 44% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the typical commute runs about 18 minutes.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (5-year).

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Who lives here

Demographics

Population
47,918
Median age
42.6
Median household income
$64,512
Per-capita income
$45,967
Poverty rate
16.5%
High-school grad or higher
92.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher
44.1%
Unemployment
6.3%
Avg. commute
17.9 min
Work from home
11.2%
Residents by race & ethnicity
White75.9%
Hispanic or Latino1.9%
Black11.8%
Asian2.7%
Workforce by occupation
Management, business, science & arts51.1%
Sales & office19.9%
Service16.6%
Production, transportation & material moving7.9%
Natural resources, construction & maintenance4.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (5-year).

Housing

Property report

Median home value
$187,300
Median gross rent
$898/mo
Owner-occupied
62.8%
Median year built
1956
Households
21,237
Avg. household size
2.16

Area-level figures. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS (5-year). Parcel-level records coming next.

Education

Schools

Schools: Below average

Charleston has 29 public schools — 17 elementary, 5 middle, 3 high.

Student proficiency · grade 8, 6 schools
Reading0%
Math38%

% of students at or above proficient on state assessments.

CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOLHighGrades 9–12
GEORGE WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOLHighGrades 9–12
SISSONVILLE HIGH SCHOOLHighGrades 9–12
ANDREW JACKSON MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddleGrades 6–8
HORACE MANN MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddleGrades 6–8
JOHN ADAMS MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddleGrades 6–8
SISSONVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddleGrades 5–8
WEST SIDE MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddleGrades 6–8
CHAMBERLAIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementaryGrades -1–5
CROSS LANES ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementaryGrades -1–5
EDGEWOOD ELEMENTARYElementaryGrades -1–5
ELK ELEMENTARY CENTERElementaryGrades -1–5
FLINN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementaryGrades -1–4
GRANDVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementaryGrades -1–5

Public schools + grade-8 proficiency. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES directory + EDFacts assessments), via Urban Institute.

Safety

Crime

violent crime58% above national
Charleston608
West Virginia282
United States386
↓ 26% lower than 2019
2019–2023
property crime96% above national
Charleston3,820
West Virginia1,241
United States1,952
↓ 17% lower than 2019
2019–2023

Rate per 100,000 residents/year, Charleston Police Department, 2023. Source: FBI UCR/NIBRS (Crime Data Explorer).

Environment

Environmental hazards

Toxic-release sites and regulated facilities in and around Charleston.

Data source being added: U.S. EPA — Toxics Release Inventory (public). We show real, sourced figures only — never estimates.

Risk

Natural disaster risk

Relatively High
Top hazards · Kanawha County
LightningRelatively High
Riverine floodingRelatively High
Strong windRelatively High
Winter weatherRelatively High
HailRelatively Moderate
Heat waveRelatively Moderate

County-level natural-hazard risk. Source: FEMA National Risk Index.

Context

Neighborhood info

Charleston is in Kanawha County — see county-wide risk, demographics, and registry.

Charleston was founded in 1786 and sits in Kanawha County. Elevation ~597 m.

Population trend
52K48K47,91820102024
Map of Charleston
Charleston, WV
Where Charleston is
CharlestonHuntingtonMorgantownParkersburgWheelingMartinsburg
Historic places

47 on the National Register of Historic Places.

Barnes-Wellford HouseBird HavenBougemont ComplexBriarwoodChilton, W. E. II, HouseCox-Morton HouseCox-Parks HouseCrawford-Gardner House
Notable people from Charleston
George Armitage MillerConchata FerrellJim JusticeGeorge CrumbRandy BarnesJason WilliamsJon McBrideLewis StraussAnn MagnusonAllison Hayes
People searches in Charleston
Michael SmithJohn SmithJames SmithDavid SmithRobert SmithMichael JohnsonJohn JohnsonJames JohnsonMichael WilliamsWilliam SmithDavid JohnsonRobert JohnsonJohn WilliamsMichael BrownMichael JonesJames WilliamsDavid WilliamsJohn BrownRobert WilliamsJohn JonesWilliam JohnsonMary SmithJames BrownJames Jones
Nearby cities
South Charleston (4 mi)Dunbar (6 mi)St. Albans (10 mi)Nitro (10 mi)Hurricane (22 mi)Milton (28 mi)

Registered sex offenders in Charleston, WV (16)

Public sex-offender registry records for Charleston, West Virginia.

Paul William Davis, 54
Charleston · Kanawha County · 25302
Andrew N Scott-Titus, 35
Charleston · Kanawha County · 25302
Charles Albert Moore Iii, 47
Charleston · Kanawha County · 25302
Steven D White, 51
Charleston · Kanawha County · 25313
AKA Steven Dale White, Steven White
Kevin B White, 44
Charleston · Kanawha County · 25314
Kevin D Thompson Jr, 46
Charleston · Kanawha County · 25387
Anthony S Miller, 51
Charleston · Kanawha County · 25314
Anthony M Brown, 52
Charleston · Kanawha County · 25311
Thomas J Davis Jr, 79
Charleston · Kanawha County · 25306
William S Robinson, 57
Charleston · Kanawha County · 25387
William Ray Taylor, 59
Charleston · New Hanover County · 25309
AKA X Popcorn, William R Taylor
David Alan Martin, 59
Charleston · Kanawha County · 25302
Earl Jackson, 73
Charleston · Kanawha County · 25302
AKA David Jackson, Earl David Jackson
David Albert Johnson, 52
Charleston · Kanawha County · 25314
Michael H Lewis, 47
Charleston · Kanawha County · 25387
Michael Jarrett White, 43
Charleston · Kanawha County · 25302

Source: Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) and state registries. Public record. This information is provided for public awareness. Using it to harass, threaten, or discriminate against any registrant, or for any purpose prohibited by law, is illegal. Verify against the official registry record before relying on it.

Common questions

Charleston — frequently asked

What is the population of Charleston, West Virginia?
Charleston has a population of about 47,918, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year).
What is the average home value in Charleston?
The median home value in Charleston is $187,300, and the median gross rent is $898/month (U.S. Census ACS).
Is Charleston safe? What is the crime rate?
Charleston Police Department reported a violent-crime rate of about 608 per 100,000 residents in 2023 — higher than the U.S. rate of 386. Source: FBI UCR/NIBRS.
What natural-disaster risks does Charleston face?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Kanawha County as "Relatively High" overall, with top hazards including lightning, riverine flooding, strong wind.
How many schools are in Charleston?
Charleston has 29 public schools (17 elementary, 5 middle, 3 high). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, NCES.
How many registered sex offenders are in Charleston?
Public registry data lists 16 registered sex offenders in or near Charleston. This is neighborhood-safety information from the public state registry.
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