Charleston, WV

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2019 Population

257,814

22% 1-year growth

US Senator

Joe Manchin

Democratic Party

US Senator

Shelley Moore Capito

Republican Party

2019 Median Age

43.1

2.49% 1-year decrease

2019 Poverty Rate

18.5%

1.38% 1-year increase

2019 Median Household Income

$47,500

16.4% 1-year growth

2019 Median Property Value

$105,200

6.98% 1-year decline

2019 Employed Population

103,536

21.2% 1-year growth

About

In 2019, Charleston, WV had a population of 258k people with a median age of 43.1 and a median household income of $47,500. Between 2018 and 2019 the population of Charleston, WV grew from 211,285 to 257,814, a 22% increase and its median household income grew from $40,806 to $47,500, a 16.4% increase.

N/A 0% of the households in Charleston, WV speak a non-English language at home as their primary language.

99.2% of the residents in Charleston, WV are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Charleston, WV are University of Charleston (744 degrees awarded in 2019), BridgeValley Community & Technical College (462 degrees), and West Virginia State University (399 degrees).

In 2019, the median property value in Charleston, WV was $105,200, and the homeownership rate was 70.9%. Most people in Charleston, WV drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Charleston, WV was 2 cars per household.

Charleston, WV borders Beckley, WV, Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, and Logan, WV.

United States West Virginia

Diversity

Charleston, WV is home to a population of 258k people, from which 99.2% are citizens. As of 2019, 1.49% of Charleston, WV residents were born outside of the country (3.84k people).

In N/A, there were N/A times more N/A residents (N/A people) in Charleston, WV than any other race or ethnicity. There were N/A N/A and N/A N/A residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Race and Ethnicity

N/A%

Hispanic Population

N/A people

N/A% of the people in Charleston, WV are hispanic (N/A people).

The following chart shows the N/A races represented in Charleston, WV as a share of the total population.

Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

1.49%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

3.84k people

1.7%

2018 Foreign-Born Population

3.59k people

As of 2019, 1.49% of Charleston, WV residents (3.84k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2018, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Charleston, WV was 1.7%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Charleston, WV compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Age by Nativity

Median Native-Born Age

± 1

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 6.4

In 2019, the median age of all people in Charleston, WV was 43.1. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 43, were generally older than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 35. But people in Charleston, WV are getting getting younger. In 2018, the average age of all Charleston, WV residents was 44.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for West Virginia.

Most Common Origin

Philippines
2,472 ± 1,220 people
China
2,356 ± 1,191 people
India
1,979 ± 1,092 people

In 2019, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of West Virginia was Philippines, the natal country of 2,472 West Virginia residents, followed by China with 2,356 and India with 1,979.

Citizenship

99.2%

2019 Citizenship

99.2%

2018 Citizenship

As of 2019, 99.2% of Charleston, WV residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2018, the percentage of US citizens in Charleston, WV was 99.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Charleston, WV compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
5,489 ± 1,070
Gulf War (2001-)
2,318 ± 901
Gulf War (1990s)
1,986 ± 642

Charleston, WV has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.37 times greater than any other conflict.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for West Virginia. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in West Virginia, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for West Virginia.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in West Virginia (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for West Virginia.

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in West Virginia. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in West Virginia.

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Community Mobility

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for West Virginia.

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of West Virginia across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Economy

Median household income in Charleston, WV is $47,500. In 2019, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Charleston, WV was Berkeley County, WV with a value of $62,370, followed by Monongalia County, WV and Harrison County, WV, with respective values of $55,940 and $54,314.

Males in West Virginia have an average income that is 1.31 times higher than the average income of females, which is $43,820. The income inequality in West Virginia (measured using the Gini index) is 0.44, which is lower than than the national average.

The economy of Charleston, WV employs 104k people. The largest industries in Charleston, WV are Health Care & Social Assistance (18,962 people), Retail Trade (12,939 people), and Public Administration (8,176 people), and the highest paying industries are Information ($82,537), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($77,039), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($75,324).

Wages

Median Household Income

$47,500

2019 value

± $2,885

16.4%

1 Year Growth

± 6.7%

Households in Charleston, WV have a median annual income of $47,500, which is less than the median annual income of $65,712 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $40,806 in 2018, which represents a 16.4% annual growth.

The following chart shows how the median household income in Charleston, WV compares to that of its neighboring and parent geographies.

Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for West Virginia.

$57,511

Average Male Salary in West Virginia

± $2,146

$43,820

Average Female Salary in West Virginia

± $1,848

In 2019, full-time male employees in West Virginia made 1.31 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in West Virginia by number of full-time employees.

Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for West Virginia.

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity in West Virginia

Asian
$67,060 ± $24,682
American Indian
$47,458 ± $25,432
White
$44,925 ± $1,316

In 2019 the highest paid race/ethnicity of West Virginia workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.41 times more than American Indian workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity in West Virginia.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in West Virginia by number of full-time employees.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Charleston, WV is from West Virginia.

0.44

2019 Wage GINI in West Virginia

0.451

2018 Wage GINI in West Virginia

In 2019, the income inequality in West Virginia was 0.44 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 2.52% decline from 2018 to 2019, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for West Virginia was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in West Virginia in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in West Virginia across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2019, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Charleston, WV was Berkeley County, WV with a value of $62,370, followed by Monongalia County, WV and Harrison County, WV, with respective values of $55,940 and $54,314.

The following map shows all of the counties in Charleston, WV colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

18.5% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Charleston, WV (48.2k out of 260k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.3%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Males 55 - 64.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

White
42,085 ± 1,480
Black
3,859 ± 460
Two Or More
1,830 ± 332

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Charleston, WV is White, followed by Black and Two Or More.

Occupations

Employment by Occupations

104k

2019 Value

± 5,719

21.2%

1 Year growth

± 6.46%

From 2018 to 2019, employment in Charleston, WV grew at a rate of 21.2%, from 85.5k employees to 104k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Charleston, WV, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (12,939 people), Sales & Related Occupations (12,418 people), and Management Occupations (8,491 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Charleston, WV.

Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Charleston, WV, by number of employees, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (12,939 people), Sales & Related Occupations (12,418 people), and Management Occupations (8,491 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other MSAs, Charleston, WV has an unusually high number of residents working as Health Technologists & Technicians (1.98 times higher than expected), Legal Occupations (1.62 times), and Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners & Other Technical Occupations (1.46 times).

Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Charleston, WV, by median earnings, are Legal Occupations ($80,859), Architecture & Engineering Occupations ($75,804), and Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners & Other Technical Occupations ($64,752).

Industries

Employment by Industries

104k

2019 Value

± 5,719

21.2%

1 Year growth

± 6.46%

From 2018 to 2019, employment in Charleston, WV grew at a rate of 21.2%, from 85.5k employees to 104k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Charleston, WV, are Health Care & Social Assistance (18,962 people), Retail Trade (12,939 people), and Public Administration (8,176 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Charleston, WV, though some of these residents may live in Charleston, WV and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Most Common

The most common industries in Charleston, WV, by number of employees, are Health Care & Social Assistance (18,962 people), Retail Trade (12,939 people), and Public Administration (8,176 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other MSAs, Charleston, WV has an unusually high number of Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction (5.23 times higher than expected), Public Administration (1.77 times), and Management of Companies & Enterprises (1.46 times) industries.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Charleston, WV, by median earnings, are Information ($82,537), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($77,039), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($75,324).

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from West Virginia to other states, or from other states to West Virginia.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

Coal-n.e.c.
$17.4B
Coal
$10.5B
Pharmaceuticals
$6.55B

In 2018, the top outbound West Virginia product (by dollars) was Coal-n.e.c. with $17.4B, followed by Coal ($10.5B) and Pharmaceuticals ($6.55B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound West Virginia products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for West Virginia.

$75B

2018 Value in West Virginia

$110B

Projected 2045 Value in West Virginia

46.5% growth

In 2018, total outbound West Virginia trade was $75B. This is expected to increase 46.5% to $110B by 2045.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound West Virginia trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from West Virginia to other states, or from other states to West Virginia.

Most Common Trade Partners

Pennsylvania
$12.1B
Virginia
$10.1B
Ohio
$7.75B

In 2018, the top outbound West Virginia domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Pennsylvania with $12.1B, followed by Virginia with $10.1B and Ohio and $7.75B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that West Virginia shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2016 presidential election, the popular vote in West Virginia went to Donald J. Trump with 68.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Hillary Rodham Clinton (26.5%), followed by Gary Johnson (3.23%). The most partisan county was Grant County, WV with 87.7% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito are the senators currently representing the state of West Virginia. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

West Virginia is currently represented by 3 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Charleston, WV. Showing the available data for West Virginia.

Showing data up to the 2016 election. Updated election results are currently being processed, and will be released in the coming months.

2016 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (68.6%)
Republican Party
Hillary Rodham Clinton (26.5%)
Democratic Party
Gary Johnson (3.23%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in West Virginia for each registered party from 1976 to 2016.

Presidential Popular Vote by County

Presidential voting results are only available at the county level. Showing data for the counties inside of West Virginia.

Showing data up to the 2016 election. Updated election results are currently being processed, and will be released in the coming months.

Donald J. Trump

Popular Vote for West Virginia

68.6% for the Republican Party

Most Partisan Counties in West Virginia

Grant County, WV
87.7% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Wyoming County, WV
83.6% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Ritchie County, WV
83.6% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)

In the 2016 presidential election, the most partisan county in West Virginia was Grant County, WV with 87.7% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

The following map shows the counties in West Virginia colored by their party leaning.

US Senators from West Virginia

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for West Virginia.

Joe Manchin

Senator from West Virginia

Assumed office on November 15, 2010
Elected to the seat to succeed Carte Goodwin, who had been appointed to the seat following the death of Robert Byrd.

Shelley Moore Capito

Senator from West Virginia

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito are the senators currently representing West Virginia.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in West Virginia over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representatives from West Virginia

West Virginia is currently represented by 3 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for West Virginia have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2019, universities in Charleston, WV awarded 2,075 degrees. The student population of Charleston, WV is skewed towards women, with 4,001 male students and 5,385 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Charleston, WV are White (1,438 and 71.1%), followed by Unknown (278 and 13.7%), Black or African American (171 and 8.45%), and Two or More Races (47 and 2.32%).

The largest universities in Charleston, WV by number of degrees awarded are University of Charleston (744 and 35.9%), BridgeValley Community & Technical College (462 and 22.3%), and West Virginia State University (399 and 19.2%).

The most popular majors in Charleston, WV are Organizational Leadership (222 and 10.7%), Registered Nursing (150 and 7.23%), and Other Business, Management, Marketing, & Related Support Services (119 and 5.73%).

The median tuition costs in Charleston, WV are $22,189 for private four year colleges, and $7,712 and $17,166 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
90 degree-majorss awarded
General Studies
51 degree-majorss awarded
Organizational Leadership
218 degree-majorss awarded

In 2019, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Charleston, WV was General Business Administration & Management with 90 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Charleston, WV according to their major.

Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of Charleston
744 degrees awarded
BridgeValley Community & Technical College
462 degrees awarded
West Virginia State University
399 degrees awarded

$7,712

Median In-State Public

$22,189

Median Private

In 2019, the Charleston, WV institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Charleston with 744 degrees awarded.

Student Gender for Common Institutions

979

Degrees Awarded to Men

1,096

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2019, 979 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Charleston, WV, which is 0.893 times less than the 1,096 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 institutions in Charleston, WV by degrees awarded.

Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
1,438 degrees awarded
Unknown
278 degrees awarded
Black or African American
171 degrees awarded

In 2019 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions in Charleston, WV was White students. These 1,438 degrees mean that there were 5.17 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Unknown, with 278 degrees awarded.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Charleston, WV was $105,200 in 2019, which is 0.437 times smaller than the national average of $240,500. Between 2018 and 2019 the median property value increased from $113,100 to $105,200, a 6.98% decrease. The homeownership rate in Charleston, WV is 70.9%, which is higher than the national average of 64.1%. People in Charleston, WV have an average commute time of 23.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Charleston, WV is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$105,200

2019 Median

± $6,599

$113,100

2018 Median

± $7,029

In 2019, the median property value in Charleston, WV declined from to $105,200 from the previous year's value of $113,100.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Charleston, WV compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Charleston, WV the largest share of households have a property value in the $100k - $125k range.

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$47,500

Median Household Income

± $2,885

109k

Number of Households

± 5,640

In 2019, the median household income of the 109k households in Charleston, WV grew to $47,500 from the previous year's value of $40,806.

The following chart displays the households in Charleston, WV distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the < $10k range.

Property Taxes

< $800

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Charleston, WV distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Charleston, WV the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

Rent vs Own

70.9%

2019 Homeownership

69.8%

2018 Homeownership

In 2019, 70.9% of the housing units in Charleston, WV were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 69.8%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 64.1%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Charleston, WV compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Commute Time

23.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Charleston, WV have a shorter commute time (23.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26 minutes). Additionally, 3.26% of the workforce in Charleston, WV have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Charleston, WV compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2014

Drove Alone (79.1%)
Carpooled (13.2%)
Walked (3.74%)

In 2014, 79.1% of workers in Charleston, WV drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (13.2%) and those who walked to work (3.74%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Charleston, WV distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Charleston, WV have 2 cars, followed by false.

Health

94.1% of the population of Charleston, WV has health coverage, with 41.3% on employee plans, 23.8% on Medicaid, 15.5% on Medicare, 11.9% on non-group plans, and 1.59% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in West Virginia was $9,462 in 2014. This is a 5.5% increase from the previous year ($8,969).

Primary care physicians in West Virginia see 1278 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.699% decrease from the previous year (1287 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1760 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 726 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Mingo County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (22.1%). Additionally, McDowell County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (44.9%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for West Virginia.

1,278 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in West Virginia

Primary care physicians in West Virginia see an average of 1,278 patients per year. This represents a 0.699% decrease from the previous year (1,287 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in West Virginia in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

West Virginia
8.26% of the population affected
Arkansas
8.13% of the population affected
New Hampshire
7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

Mississippi
19.2% of adults
Texas
17.9% of adults
Louisiana
17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

Health Care Spending

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for West Virginia.

$9,462

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care in West Virginia

$3,917

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$6,557

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$10,268

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in West Virginia (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 5.5%, from $8,969 to $9,462.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

Health Care Coverage

5.92%

Uninsured

41.3%

Employer Coverage

23.8%

Medicaid

15.5%

Medicare

11.9%

Non-Group

1.59%

Military or VA

Between 2018 and 2019, the percent of uninsured citizens in Charleston, WV declined by 9.98% from 6.58% to 5.92%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Charleston, WV changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.