West Virginia Gazetteer
Also See Charleston, WV: ZIP Codes & Maps
The City of Charleston is the largest city in West Virginia with a population of 48,485 as of July 1, 2022. Charleston ranks in the upper quartile for Population Density and Diversity Index when compared to the other cities, towns and Census Designated Places (CDPs) in West Virginia. See peer rankings below.
The primary coordinate point for Charleston is located at latitude 38.3498 and longitude -81.6326 in Kanawha County. The formal boundaries for the City of Charleston encompass a land area of 31.5 sq. miles and a water area of 1.14 sq. miles. Kanawha County is in the Eastern time zone (GMT -5). The elevation is 597 feet.
The City of Charleston has a C1 Census Class Code which indicates an active incorporated place that does not serve as a county subdivision equivalent. It also has a Functional Status Code of "A" which identifies an active government providing primary general-purpose functions.
The City of Charleston is located within District 1, a minor civil division (MCD) of Kanawha County.
Alternate Unofficial Names for Charleston: Charles Town, Charleston-on-the-Kanawha, Charlestown, Clendenins Fort, Clendenins Settlement, Clendenin's Settlement, Fort Clendennin, Fort Lee, Kanawha, Kanawha Court House, Mouth of Elk, The Town at the Mouth of Elk.
POPULATION | |
|---|---|
| Total Population | 48,485 (100%) |
| Population in Households | 46,771 (96.5%) |
| Population in Families | 33,274 (68.6%) |
| Population in Group Quarters1 | 1,714 ( 3.5%) |
| Population Density | 1,539 |
| Diversity Index2 | 43 |
INCOME | |
| Median Household Income | $50,896 |
| Average Household Income | $85,935 |
| % of Income for Mortgage4 | 19% |
| Per Capita Income | $39,228 |
| Wealth Index5 | 84 |
HOUSING | |
|---|---|
| Total HU (Housing Units) | 25,883 (100%) |
| Owner Occupied HU | 12,661 (48.9%) |
| Renter Occupied HU | 9,229 (35.7%) |
| Vacant Housing Units | 3,994 (15.4%) |
| Median Home Value | $180,094 |
| Average Home Value | $214,188 |
| Housing Affordability Index3 | 135 |
HOUSEHOLDS | |
| Total Households | 21,889 |
| Average Household Size | 2.14 |
| Family Households | 11,246 |
| Average Family Size | 3.00 |
GROWTH RATE / YEAR |
2020-2022 | 2022-2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Population | -0.35% | -0.38% |
| Households | -0.39% | -0.34% |
| Families | -0.44% | |
| Median Household Income | 3.02% | |
| Per Capita Income | 3.19% | |
| Owner Occupied HU | -0.08% |
The table below compares Charleston to the other 439 incorporated cities, towns and CDPs in West Virginia by rank and percentile using July 1, 2022 data. The location Ranked # 1 has the highest value. A location that ranks higher than 75% of its peers would be in the 75th percentile of the peer group.
| Variable Description | Rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Total Population | # 1 | 100th |
| Population Density | # 76 | 83rd |
| Median Household Income | # 156 | 65th |
| Housing Affordability Index | # 89 | 20th |
| Per Capita Income | # 35 | 92nd |
| Diversity Index | # 19 | 96th |
Additional comparisons and rankings can be made with a VERY EASY TO USE West Virginia Census Data Comparison Tool.
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