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South Charleston, WV

Full City Profile · West Virginia · Kanawha County County

3.2 /5.0
B Good
13,594 Population 1,393/sq mi density
$59,616 Median Income $35,898 per capita
$144,800 Home Value $160,866 Zillow
$857 Median Rent 29.1% income on rent
54°F Avg Temperature 293 sunny days/yr
841 Violent Crime/100K 6,267 property/100K
B
Overall
3.2 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
B
Economy
3.1 / 5.0
$59,616 median income, 3.9% unemployment
A+
Affordability
5.0 / 5.0
$144,800 home value, $857/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
841 violent crimes/100K (121% above avg)
B+
Education
3.8 / 5.0
35.3% bachelor's degree or higher

South Charleston, WV

At a Glance

Median Income
$59,616
21% below
$35,898 per capita
Home Value
$144,800
49% below
Zillow: $160,866
Median Rent
$857/mo
26% below
29.1% of income on rent
Violent Crime
841/100K
121% above
6,267/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
35.3%
5% above
95.7% high school+
Unemployment
3.9%
8% above
21.4% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
40.7%
27% above
19.3% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
54°F
293 sunny days/yr

How South Charleston Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows South Charleston's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
79%
Home Value
51%
Rent
74%
Poverty
173%
Bachelor's
105%
Unemployment
108%
Crime
221%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is South Charleston a Good Place to Live?

B
3.2 / 5.0 — Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

South Charleston residents earn a median household income of $59,616 , which is 21% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $35,898. The unemployment rate stands at 3.9% (8% above the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 21.4% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 6,860 business establishments, including 428 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in South Charleston is $144,800 , 49% below the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $160,866. Median rent is $857/month, with 29.1% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 89.5 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1959.

Safety & Crime

South Charleston reports 841 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 121% above the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 6,267/100K. The murder rate is 0.0/100K.

Education

35.3% of adults in South Charleston hold a bachelor's degree or higher (5% above the national average). 95.7% have completed high school. Local schools score 5.1/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

South Charleston has an average annual temperature of 54°F (12°C). Winters average 33°F in January while summers reach 75°F in July. The area gets 293 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 48.2 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 39.

Data Overview

People

Population13,594
Median Age41.1 yrs
Density1,393/mi²
Male / Female47% / 53%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans5.5%

Economy

B
Median Income$59,616
Per Capita$35,898
Unemployment3.9%
Poverty21.4%
County GDP$14,448M
Avg Weekly Wage$1,192

Housing

A+
Home Value$144,800
Rent$857
Ownership68.9%
Zillow$160,866
Housing Units6,508
Rent Burden29.1%

Crime

F
Violent841/100K
Property6,267/100K
Murder0.0/100K
Assault722/100K
Burglary789/100K

Health

Obesity40.7%
Diabetes12.7%
Smoking19.3%
Heart Disease6.5%
Premature Death14,979/100K

Climate

Avg Temp54°F
Sunny Days293/yr
Rain48.2 in/yr
AQI39 (Good)
Elevation659 ft

Education

B+
Bachelor's+35.3%
High School+95.7%
Graduate+13.3%
School Score5.1/10

Community

2024 VoteR 58% / D 40%
Commute19 min
Broadband85.2%
Internet Speed51 Mbps
EV Stations6
Libraries13

Did You Know?

The median home in South Charleston was built in 1959.
The nearest airport is West Virginia International Yeager (7 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.490 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively High" by FEMA.
16.3% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
There are 428 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 20 fatal vehicle crashes.