Population 14,640 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of South Charleston: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in South Charleston
Household size in South Charleston
| Period | South Charleston | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.27 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.18 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.20 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.15 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.11 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in South Charleston are small: just 2.15 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.27 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only four of the 60 West Virginia cities with 5,000+ people have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in South Charleston
| Period | South Charleston | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.1 | 41.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.9 | 42.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.9 | 43.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.7 | 43.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.6 | +1.9 | +2.3 |
South Charleston skews older: half of its residents are older than 46.7, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 43.1, mirroring the country.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in South Charleston
| Period | South Charleston | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.8% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.5% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in South Charleston (11.5%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in West Virginia overall (10.4%). The single-parent share is up 1.8 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in South Charleston
Renters in South Charleston
| Period | South Charleston | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.1% | 25.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.0% | 27.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.2% | 26.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.9% | 25.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly three in ten households in South Charleston rent their homes (28.9%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Even so, renters make up a bigger share here than in West Virginia as a whole (25.1%). Among homeowners, 48.6% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has edged down 1.2 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in South Charleston
| Period | South Charleston | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 15.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.3% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.5% | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 14.5% of the housing in South Charleston, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is up 5.3 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in South Charleston
| Period | South Charleston | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1959 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1960 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1962 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1961 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +6 | +6 |
South Charleston is a place of older homes: half were built before 1961, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Newer construction is concentrated in the south, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in South Charleston
| Period | South Charleston | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $632 | $578 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $697 | $657 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $714 | $759 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,267 | $905 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$635 | +$327 | +$606 |
The median renter in South Charleston pays $1,267 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are higher than in West Virginia overall ($905). Rent has climbed $635 a month since 2006–10, up 101%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 30.4% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in South Charleston
Bachelor's degrees in South Charleston
| Period | South Charleston | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.1% | 18.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 30.4% | 19.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.1% | 21.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 35.8% | 25.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.8 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in South Charleston as nationally: 35.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share is higher than in West Virginia as a whole (25.0%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 7.8 points, as it has nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in South Charleston
| Period | South Charleston | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.7% | 82.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.8% | 84.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.1% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.9% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.2 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in South Charleston: 94.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 5.2 points, mirroring the country. South Charleston has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of West Virginia cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in South Charleston
| Period | South Charleston | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.9% | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.6% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in South Charleston runs well above the national rate: 8.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Only one other West Virginia city with 5,000+ people has higher unemployment. Unemployment has edged up 1.4 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
South Charleston compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Charleston | 2.15 | 46.7 | 11.5% | 28.9% | 14.5% | 1961 | $1,267 | 35.8% | 94.9% | 8.6% |
| Dunbar | 2.11 | 42.5 | 9.9% | 36.5% | 12.7% | 1963 | $910 | 29.0% | 94.1% | 4.0% |
| Institute | 2.39 | 29.7 | 16.8% | 37.7% | 20.2% | 1984 | $785 | 30.5% | 92.3% | 5.1% |
| Charleston | 2.32 | 43.9 | 10.9% | 31.9% | 17.2% | 1966 | $1,006 | 39.6% | 92.4% | 5.9% |
| Jefferson | 3.09 | 35.2 | 25.9% | 11.1% | 14.9% | 1959 | $1,339 | 4.3% | 82.4% | 1.2% |
| Loudendale | 2.87 | 38.6 | 11.8% | 12.5% | 10.2% | 1991 | $762 | 31.1% | 82.5% | 8.6% |
| Cross Lanes | 2.16 | 43.2 | 8.7% | 26.0% | 14.9% | 1975 | $951 | 32.0% | 96.8% | 3.2% |
| St. Albans | 2.38 | 45.3 | 14.3% | 29.6% | 15.4% | 1963 | $1,041 | 21.7% | 91.6% | 5.6% |
| Tornado | 2.89 | 44.1 | 6.7% | 6.9% | 7.8% | 1980 | $879 | 23.6% | 91.6% | 4.8% |
| Rand | 2.39 | 50.4 | 6.0% | 13.0% | 9.4% | 1974 | $985 | 15.5% | 85.1% | 2.4% |
| Alum Creek | 2.97 | 43.9 | 4.3% | 20.5% | 18.1% | 1983 | $770 | 15.6% | 86.5% | 7.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: White Hall, AR · DeForest, WI · Dentsville, SC · Denver, PA · Detroit Lakes, MN · Dexter, MI · Discovery Bay, CA · Douglassville, PA · Dumas, TX · Whitman, MA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up South Charleston. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.