Charleston, WV

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2021 Population

260,824

0.0368% 1-year decline

US Senator

Joe Manchin

Democratic Party

US Senator

Shelley Moore Capito

Republican Party

2021 Median Age

43.6

0% 1-year change

2021 Poverty Rate

17.4%

3.97% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$49,832

8.1% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$113,500

3.09% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

103,462

1.13% 1-year decline

About

In 2021, Charleston, WV had a population of 261k people with a median age of 43.6 and a median household income of $49,832. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Charleston, WV declined from 260,920 to 260,824, a −0.0368% decrease and its median household income grew from $46,099 to $49,832, a 8.1% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Charleston, WV are White (Non-Hispanic) (90.2%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (4.81%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.84%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (0.886%), and White (Hispanic) (0.518%).

None of the households in Charleston, WV reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

99.4% of the residents in Charleston, WV are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Charleston, WV are University of Charleston (985 degrees awarded in 2021), West Virginia State University (420 degrees), and BridgeValley Community & Technical College (344 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Charleston, WV was $113,500, and the homeownership rate was 72.3%.

Most people in Charleston, WV drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.2 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

Population & Diversity

Charleston, WV is home to a population of 261k people, from which 99.4% are citizens. As of 2021, 1.51% of Charleston, WV residents were born outside of the country (3.95k people).

In 2021, there were 18.7 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (235k people) in Charleston, WV than any other race or ethnicity. There were 12.6k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 7.42k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.4%

2021 Citizenship

99.4%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 99.4% of Charleston, WV residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Charleston, WV was 99.4%, 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.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Charleston, WV

White (Non-Hispanic)
235k ± 456
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
12.6k ± 620
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
7.42k ± 734

0.996%

Hispanic Population

2.6k people

0.996% of the people in Charleston, WV are hispanic (2.6k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Charleston, WV as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

India
2,200 ± 1,151 people
China
1,989 ± 1,094 people
Mexico
1,564 ± 971 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of West Virginia was India, the natal country of 2,200 West Virginia residents, followed by China with 1,989 and Mexico with 1,564.

Foreign-Born Population

1.51%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

3.95k people

1.41%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

3.68k people

As of 2021, 1.51% of Charleston, WV residents (3.95k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Charleston, WV was 1.41%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
5,931 ± 427
Gulf War (2001-)
2,565 ± 535
Gulf War (1990s)
1,929 ± 403

Charleston, WV has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.31 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Charleston, WV employs 103k people. The largest industries in Charleston, WV are Health Care & Social Assistance (19,396 people), Retail Trade (12,854 people), and Public Administration (8,499 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($69,968), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($64,369), and Utilities ($62,199).

Males in West Virginia have an average income that is 1.35 times higher than the average income of females, which is $46,027. The income inequality in West Virginia (measured using the Gini index) is 0.447, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

103k

2021 Value

± 2,703

−1.13%

1 Year decline

± 3.61%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Charleston, WV declined at a rate of −1.13%, from 105k employees to 103k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Charleston, WV, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (14,192 people), Sales & Related Occupations (10,877 people), and Management Occupations (7,855 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Charleston, WV.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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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Industries

Employment by Industries

103k

2021 Value

± 2,703

−1.13%

1 Year decline

± 3.61%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Charleston, WV declined at a rate of −1.13%, from 105k employees to 103k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Charleston, WV, are Health Care & Social Assistance (19,396 people), Retail Trade (12,854 people), and Public Administration (8,499 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.

Median Earnings by Industry

$42,633

Median earning men ± $1,434

$31,032

Median earning women ± $1,089

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($65,550), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($60,790), and Manufacturing ($51,429).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Information ($59,306), Construction ($46,711), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($42,796).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in West Virginia. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

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

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

2,424
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
1,314
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
1,024
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$2.25M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$903k
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
$775k
Manufacturing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

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.
$13.7B
Pharmaceuticals
$6.8B
Coal
$5.5B

In 2020, the top outbound West Virginia product (by dollars) was Coal-n.e.c. with $13.7B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($6.8B) and Coal ($5.5B).

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.

$68.8B

2020 Value in West Virginia

$114B

Projected 2050 Value in West Virginia

66.4% growth

In 2020, total outbound West Virginia trade was $68.8B. This is expected to increase 66.4% to $114B by 2050.

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

Ohio
$11.9B
Pennsylvania
$6.59B
Virginia
$5.87B

In 2020, the top outbound West Virginia domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Ohio with $11.9B, followed by Pennsylvania with $6.59B and Virginia and $5.87B.

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

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in West Virginia went to Donald J. Trump with 68.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (29.7%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.34%).

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 2 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

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

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (68.6%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (29.7%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.34%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in West Virginia went to Donald J. Trump with 68.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (29.7%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.34%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in West Virginia for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

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 Representative Elections

US Representatives from West Virginia

West Virginia is currently represented by 2 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 2021, universities in Charleston, WV awarded 2,193 degrees. The student population of Charleston, WV in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 3,922 male students and 4,652 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Charleston, WV are White (1,475 and 69.1%), followed by Unknown (289 and 13.5%), Black or African American (204 and 9.56%), and Hispanic or Latino (69 and 3.23%).

The largest universities in Charleston, WV by number of degrees awarded are University of Charleston (985 and 44.9%), West Virginia State University (420 and 19.2%), and BridgeValley Community & Technical College (344 and 15.7%).

The most popular majors in Charleston, WV are Organizational Leadership (333 and 15.2%), Registered Nursing (265 and 12.1%), and Other Business, Management, Marketing, & Related Support Services (159 and 7.25%).

The median tuition costs in Charleston, WV are $21,000 for private four year colleges, and $8,308 and $14,280 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Charleston, WV, the percentage of applicants admitted was 85.8%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 13%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 8,574 (45.7% men and 54.3% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 8,574 students enrolled in Charleston, WV, 45.7% men and 54.3% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 6,200 records, of which 58.2% were women and 41.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
121 degree-majors awarded
Registered Nursing
54 degree-majors awarded
Organizational Leadership
323 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Charleston, WV was General Business Administration & Management with 121 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of Charleston
985 degrees awarded
West Virginia State University
420 degrees awarded
BridgeValley Community & Technical College
344 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Charleston with 985 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 977 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Charleston, WV, which is 0.803 times less than the 1,216 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,475 degrees mean that there were 5.1 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Unknown, with 289 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($21,000) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Private for-profit, 2-year ($1,674) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,800) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2021, 0.603% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.522% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (575k), Some college (293k), and Secondary Education (220k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Charleston, WV was $113,500 in 2021, which is 0.463 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $110,100 to $113,500, a 3.09% increase. The homeownership rate in Charleston, WV is 72.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Charleston, WV have an average commute time of 24.2 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.

Median household income in Charleston, WV is $49,832. In 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Charleston, WV was Jefferson County, WV with a value of $86,711, followed by Putnam County, WV and Berkeley County, WV, with respective values of $68,740 and $68,101.

Housing

Property

$113,500

Median Property Value 2021

±$3,234

$77,012

Median Property Taxes

±$2,079

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units 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.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Charleston, WV compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

72.3%

Homeownership

2021

65.5%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 72.3% of the housing units in Charleston, WV were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 72.5%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Charleston, WV compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Charleston, WV was Jefferson County, WV with a value of $86,711, followed by Putnam County, WV and Berkeley County, WV, with respective values of $68,740 and $68,101.

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

Household Income

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

$49,832

Median Household Income

± $1,357

107k

Number of Households

± 2,608

In 2021, the median household income of the 107k households in Charleston, WV grew to $49,832 from the previous year's value of $46,099.

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 $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

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

0.447

2021 Wage GINI in West Virginia

0.441

2020 Wage GINI in West Virginia

In 2021, the income inequality in West Virginia was 0.447 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 1.26% growth from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less 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.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (81%)
Carpooled (7.82%)
Worked At Home (5.79%)

In 2021, 81% of workers in Charleston, WV drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (7.82%) and those who worked at home (5.79%).

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.

Commute Time

24.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Charleston, WV have a shorter commute time (24.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 2.43% 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.

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.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

17.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Charleston, WV (44.7k out of 257k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Males 55 - 64.

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

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.

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.

Health

94.4% of the population of Charleston, WV has health coverage, with 40.2% on employee plans, 25.3% on Medicaid, 16.4% on Medicare, 10.9% on non-group plans, and 1.62% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in West Virginia see 1270 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.626% decrease from the previous year (1278 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1740 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 670 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

1,270 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in West Virginia

Primary care physicians in West Virginia see an average of 1,270 patients per year. This represents a 0.626% decrease from the previous year (1,278 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.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.9% under 18 years, 17.8% between 18 and 34 years, 40% between 35 and 64 years, and 20.3% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.3% were men and 51.7% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

5.61%

Uninsured

40.2%

Employer Coverage

25.3%

Medicaid

16.4%

Medicare

10.9%

Non-Group

1.62%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Charleston, WV grew by 0.367% from 5.59% to 5.61%.

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.