Charleston, WV Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Charleston, WV Summary

Cost of living in Charleston research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Charleston is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in West Virginia, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Charleston is 87, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Charleston is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Charleston ranks as the #15 cheapest in West Virginia out of 31.

  • Charleston ranks as the #1,101 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Charleston is $157,000.

  • The median income in Charleston is $54,101.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
87
Charleston's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Charleston, WV?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Charleston has an overall cost of living index of 87, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to West Virginia, Charleston has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than West Virginia's index of 89.

The standard of living in Charleston ranks as #15 most affordable out of the 31 places we measured in West Virginia. By definition, that implies Charleston ranks as the #16 most expensive place in the Mountain State.

For more reading on life in Charleston, check out:

15 out of 31
In West Virginia
1,101 out of 6,412
In America

Charleston Cost Of Living Vs. West Virginia

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Charleston. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Charleston is 95.

  • The Groceries index in Charleston is 94.

  • The Health index in Charleston is 93.

  • The Housing index in Charleston is 79.

  • The Transportation index in Charleston is 93.

  • The Utilities index in Charleston is 87.

Living Expense Charleston West Virginia National Average
Overall 87 89 100
Services 95 96 100
Groceries 94 98 100
Health 93 99 100
Housing 79 69 100
Transportation 93 100 100
Utilities 87 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around West Virginia, check out:
Charleston Cost of Living Vs. WV

Charleston, WV Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in West Virginia, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Charleston is $157,000.

  • The Median Rent in Charleston is $800.

  • The Median Income in Charleston is $54,101.

  • The Home Value To Income in Charleston is 2.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Charleston is 0.18x.

Statistic Charleston West Virginia United States
Median Home Value $157,000 $128,800 $244,900
Median Rent $800 $770 $1,163
Median Income $54,101 $50,884 $69,021
Home Value To Income 2.9x 2.5x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.18x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Charleston, WV
$157,000
Median Home Value
$800
Median Rent
$54,101
Median Income

Charleston, WV Costs By Category

Detailed Charleston Services Costs Vs. West Virginia

Item Charleston West Virginia
Shampoo $0.92 $1.06
Movie $9.96 $10.68
Bowling $13.78 $14.67
Haircut $13.38 $18.62
Beauty Salon $36.03 $39.05

Detailed Charleston Groceries Costs Vs. West Virginia

Item Charleston West Virginia
Ground Beef $4.55 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.18 $1.39
Milk $1.85 $2.05
Potatoes $3.79 $3.29
Pizza $10.26 $10.62
Beer $9.92 $9.38
Toothpaste $1.86 $2.34

Detailed Charleston Health Costs Vs. West Virginia

Item Charleston West Virginia
Optometrist $82.63 $108.57
Doctor $107.12 $116.17
Dentist $93.5 $99.13

Detailed Charleston Transportation Costs Vs. West Virginia

Item Charleston West Virginia
Gasoline $2.13 $2.22
Tire Balancing $41.02 $50.07

Detailed Charleston Utilities Costs Vs. West Virginia

Item Charleston West Virginia
All Electricity $130.92 $167.67
Phone $177.97 $175.64

Charleston SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
6
Affordability
8
Diversity
8
Safety
3
Amenities
8.5
Education
8.5
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Charleston

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Charleston. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Teays Valley, WV has a cost of living index of 97, 1.1x Charleston.

  • South Charleston, WV has a cost of living index of 86, 1.0x Charleston.

  • St. Albans, WV has a cost of living index of 83, 1.0x Charleston.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Charleston
Teays Valley, WV 13,805 97 1.1x
South Charleston, WV 13,595 86 1.0x
St. Albans, WV 10,842 83 1.0x
Cross Lanes, WV 9,434 91 1.0x
Dunbar, WV 7,500 85 1.0x
Nitro, WV 6,630 84 1.0x

Articles About West Virginia

Enjoy The Snack?