Charleston, WV Cost Of Living
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
Charleston's Overall Cost Of Living
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:
- Living In Charleston
- Charleston Crime Report
- Search Homes For Sale In Charleston, WV
In West Virginia
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 | |
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 |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
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
/10
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 |
