Cost of living in South 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 South 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 South Charleston is 86, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in South Charleston is 0.9x lower than the national average.
South Charleston ranks as the #14 cheapest in West Virginia out of 31.
South Charleston ranks as the #938 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.
The median home value in South Charleston is $126,600.
The median income in South Charleston is $54,954.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, South Charleston has an overall cost of living index of 86, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to West Virginia, South Charleston has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than West Virginia's index of 89.
The standard of living in South Charleston ranks as #14 most affordable out of the 31 places we measured in West Virginia. By definition, that implies South Charleston ranks as the #17 most expensive place in the Mountain State.
For more reading on life in South Charleston, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in South Charleston. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in South Charleston is 98.
The Groceries index in South Charleston is 95.
The Health index in South Charleston is 95.
The Housing index in South Charleston is 61.
The Transportation index in South Charleston is 94.
The Utilities index in South Charleston is 88.
Living Expense | South Charleston | West Virginia | National Average | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Overall | 86 | 89 | 100 | |
Services | 98 | 96 | 100 | |
Groceries | 95 | 98 | 100 | |
Health | 95 | 99 | 100 | |
Housing | 61 | 69 | 100 | |
Transportation | 94 | 100 | 100 | |
Utilities | 88 | 95 | 100 |
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 South Charleston is $126,600.
The Median Rent in South Charleston is $756.
The Median Income in South Charleston is $54,954.
The Home Value To Income in South Charleston is 2.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in South Charleston is 0.17x.
Statistic | South Charleston | West Virginia | United States |
---|---|---|---|
Median Home Value | $126,600 | $128,800 | $244,900 |
Median Rent | $756 | $770 | $1,163 |
Median Income | $54,954 | $50,884 | $69,021 |
Home Value To Income | 2.3x | 2.5x | 3.5x |
Rent To Monthly Income | 0.17x | 0.18x | 0.2x |
Item | South 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 |
Item | South 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 |
Item | South Charleston | West Virginia |
---|---|---|
Optometrist | $82.63 | $108.57 |
Doctor | $107.12 | $116.17 |
Dentist | $93.5 | $99.13 |
Item | South Charleston | West Virginia |
---|---|---|
Gasoline | $2.13 | $2.22 |
Tire Balancing | $41.02 | $50.07 |
Item | South Charleston | West Virginia |
---|---|---|
All Electricity | $130.92 | $167.67 |
Phone | $177.97 | $175.64 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around South Charleston. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Charleston, WV has a cost of living index of 87, 1.0x South Charleston.
Teays Valley, WV has a cost of living index of 97, 1.1x South Charleston.
St. Albans, WV has a cost of living index of 83, 1.0x South Charleston.
City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. South Charleston |
---|---|---|---|
Charleston, WV | 49,055 | 87 | 1.0x |
Teays Valley, WV | 13,805 | 97 | 1.1x |
St. Albans, WV | 10,842 | 83 | 1.0x |
Cross Lanes, WV | 9,434 | 91 | 1.1x |
Dunbar, WV | 7,500 | 85 | 1.0x |
Hurricane, WV | 6,901 | 89 | 1.0x |
Nitro, WV | 6,630 | 84 | 1.0x |