Living in Charleston, WV
Small city in West Virginia
Charleston is a small city in West Virginia, home to about 48,000 people, with 169,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly houses.
Is Charleston a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $174k and rents for $1,330 a month
- Low taxes: about $1,208 state income tax per resident, 0.73% property tax
- Dog-friendly: 3 dog parks within 9 mi
- Mild summers: highs around 85°F
👎 Cons
- Smaller job market: about 169,000 people live within 31 mi
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
- Cloudier than most places
- Fewer family amenities than most places
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Charleston ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Charleston: common questions
What is the cost of living in Charleston?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $174k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,330 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 89, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Charleston?
West Virginia collects about $1,208 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.73% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Charleston safe?
Charleston isn't in the FBI's 2019 city crime table, so Best Life Fit Me counts its safety as average.
What is the weather like in Charleston?
Charleston has cold winters: winter days average around 46°F and summer days around 85°F, with roughly 32″ of snow a year.
Does Charleston get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding: 19 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.39 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Charleston?
The nearest major airport is CMH, about 132 mi away.
How Charleston scores
Each bar compares Charleston with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
Places like Charleston
These places have the most similar overall profile across all 23 aspects.
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Is Charleston right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.