Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Charleston, WV

    Is Charleston a good place to live?

    Watch Charleston

    Charleston ranks #2 of 5 West Virginia cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (56/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 1.0% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $187,300
    +8.4% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $898
    per month
    Household income
    $64,512
    median
    Unemployment
    6.3%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Charleston

    The median home value in Charleston is $187,300 and median rent is $898 a month, against a median household income of $64,512. Homes cost about 2.9× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Charleston crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across West Virginia the 2025 rate was 266 violent and 1,094 property crimes per 100,000 people — #41 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Charleston, WV

    Charleston has about 47,918 residents, 6.3% unemployment and 22% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Charleston with

    Charleston vs HuntingtonCharleston vs MorgantownCharleston vs ParkersburgCharleston vs Wheeling

    More: Where to move in West Virginia · Best counties in West Virginia

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report