Charleston is a city located in Kanawha County West Virginia. Charleston has a 2024 population of 46,237. Charleston is currently declining at a rate of -1.28% annually and its population has decreased by -4.94% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 48,641 in 2020.
The average household income in Charleston is $96,887 with a poverty rate of 17.04%. The median age in Charleston is 42.2 years: 41 years for males, and 43.8 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Charleston was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 37,647 | 77.76% |
| Black or African American | 6,257 | 12.92% |
| Two or more races | 3,116 | 6.44% |
| Asian | 1,221 | 2.52% |
| Native American | 77 | 0.16% |
| Other race | 67 | 0.14% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 30 | 0.06% |
White
Black or African American
Two or more races
Asian
Native American
Other race
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 21,746 | 2.12 | 60.8 | 39.2 |
| Non Family | 10,147 | 1.16 | 49.6 | 50.4 |
| Married | 8,127 | 2.92 | 80.5 | 19.5 |
| Female | 2,639 | 3.02 | 40.9 | 59.1 |
| Male | 833 | 3.2 | 68.1 | 31.9 |
2.89
Average Family Size
2.12
Average Household Size
60.8%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 1,887 | 5.32% |
| Associates Degree | 2,038 | 5.74% |
| Bachelors Degree | 7,868 | 22.16% |
| Graduate Degree | 7,472 | 21.05% |
| High School Graduate | 8,548 | 24.08% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 903 | 2.54% |
| Some College | 6,785 | 19.11% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 28,863 | 26,806 | 13,286 |
| Black | 3,939 | 3,510 | 548 |
| 2+ Races | 1,361 | 1,209 | 560 |
| Asian | 1,039 | 970 | 866 |
| Hispanic | 357 | 295 | 134 |
| Native American | 77 | 37 | 11 |
| Other Race | 36 | 20 | 0 |
| Islander | 30 | 30 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 83.35%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $51,930 | $56,233 | $48,903 |
| Graduate Degree | $86,519 | $116,008 | $70,477 |
| High School Graduate | $27,831 | $28,981 | $26,129 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $14,516 | $17,440 | $13,676 |
| Overall | $43,704 | $45,469 | $42,224 |
| Some College | $32,899 | $32,951 | $32,642 |
$43,704
Average Earnings
$45,469
Average Male
$42,224
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
95.14% of Charleston residents speak only English, while 4.86% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Other Indo-European, which is spoken by 1.9% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 36,089 | 5,492 | 15.22% |
| Black | 5,921 | 1,499 | 25.32% |
| Multiple | 2,998 | 786 | 26.22% |
| Hispanic | 652 | 72 | 11.04% |
| Asian | 1,195 | 43 | 3.6% |
| Other | 66 | 40 | 60.61% |
| Native | 77 | 38 | 49.35% |
| Islander | 30 | 30 | 100% |
17.04%
Overall Poverty Rate
17.17%
Male Poverty Rate
16.91%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Charleston is Islander, with 100% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Charleston is Asian, with 3.6% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.21%. Among those working part-time, it was 19.55%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 29.48%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 49.54% |
| High School | 27.43% |
| Some College | 16.52% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 3.08% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 36.36% |
| Male Unemployed | 28.75% |
| Male Employed | 5.9% |
| Female Employed | 5.43% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $87,108 | $130,241 |
| Households | $58,902 | $96,887 |
| Married Families | $105,593 | $157,807 |
| Non Families | $35,221 | $57,085 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
42.3%
Overall Marriage Rate
43.7%
Male Marriage Rate
40.9%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
2,002
Number of Veterans
1,938
Male Veterans
64
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 741 |
| First Gulf War | 507 |
| Second Gulf War | 371 |
| Korea | 102 |
| World War II | 20 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 65 to 74 | 542 |
| 35 to 54 | 489 |
| 75+ | 462 |
| 55 to 64 | 418 |
| 18 to 34 | 91 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1,723 | 5.46% |
| Black | 253 | 5.2% |
| Asian | 16 | 1.49% |
| Hispanic | 15 | 2.5% |
| 2+ Races | 10 | 0.56% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
20.03%
Veteran Poverty Rate
34.35%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
57%
Labor Force Participation
53.3%
Employment Rate
5.8%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
70.78%
Born in Charleston
95.63%
Native Born
4.37%
Foreign Born
1.73%
Non Citizen
2.64%
Naturalized
95.63% of Charleston residents were born in the United States, with 70.78% having been born in West Virginia. 1.73% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 43,232 | -601 | -1.37% |
| 2028 | 43,833 | -601 | -1.35% |
| 2027 | 44,434 | -601 | -1.33% |
| 2026 | 45,035 | -601 | -1.32% |
| 2025 | 45,636 | -601 | -1.3% |
| 2024 | 46,237 | -601 | -1.28% |
| 2023 | 46,838 | -377 | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 47,215 | -729 | -1.52% |
| 2021 | 47,944 | -697 | -1.43% |
| 2020 | 48,641 | 2,093 | 4.5% |
| 2019 | 46,548 | -586 | -1.24% |
| 2018 | 47,134 | -883 | -1.84% |
| 2017 | 48,017 | -764 | -1.57% |
| 2016 | 48,781 | -643 | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 49,424 | -674 | -1.35% |
| 2014 | 50,098 | -521 | -1.03% |
| 2013 | 50,619 | -193 | -0.38% |
| 2012 | 50,812 | -127 | -0.25% |
| 2011 | 50,939 | -276 | -0.54% |
| 2010 | 51,215 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 53,421 | -3,866 | -6.75% |
| 1990 | 57,287 | -6,681 | -10.44% |
| 1980 | 63,968 | -7,537 | -10.54% |
| 1970 | 71,505 | -14,291 | -16.66% |
| 1960 | 85,796 | 12,295 | 16.73% |
| 1950 | 73,501 | 5,587 | 8.23% |
| 1940 | 67,914 | 7,506 | 12.43% |
| 1930 | 60,408 | 20,800 | 52.51% |
| 1920 | 39,608 | 16,612 | 72.24% |
| 1910 | 22,996 | 11,897 | 107.19% |
| 1900 | 11,099 | 4,357 | 64.62% |
| 1890 | 6,742 | 2,550 | 60.83% |
| 1880 | 4,192 | 1,030 | 32.57% |
| 1870 | 3,162 | -40,070 | -92.69% |