Housing data for South Charleston, WV
South Charleston, WV has an estimated 13,457 residents and 6,970 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in Kanawha County.
29.4% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $844 a month.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+7.9%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 13,457 (±28)
- Housing units
- 6,970 (±382)
- Households that rent
- 29.4%
- Median gross rent
- $844
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +7.9%
What stands out in South Charleston
Homes in buildings of 5 or more units: 15.7% (±3.7 points) in South Charleston, higher than in Kanawha County (10.9%).
Homes built before 1980: 79.7% (±7.4 points) in South Charleston, higher than in Kanawha County (70.0%).
Average commute: 19.3 minutes (±1.9) in South Charleston, lower than in Kanawha County (21.8 minutes).
- Types of homes in South Charleston
- Age of homes in South Charleston
- Commute and cars in South Charleston
Housing in South Charleston at a glance
- Median rent: $844 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $909 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 51.8% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 29.4% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $63,884 median household income
- Home values: $155,400 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,189 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $1,049 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 15.7% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 62.9% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 79.7% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 8.8% rental vacancy rate
- Heating fuel: 64.6% heat with utility gas
- Commute and cars: 19.3 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 446 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +7.9% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 24.6% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 0.1% of homes have more than 1 person per room
South Charleston against Kanawha County, its state and the nation
| South Charleston | Kanawha County | West Virginia | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 13,457 (±28) | 176,537 (exact) | 1,778,373 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 6,970 (±382) | 90,408 (±201) | 861,325 (±394) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 29.4% (±5.1 points) | 28.9% (±1.3 points) | 25.1% (±0.3 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $844 (±$139) | $906 (±$25) | $872 (±$8) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $63,884 (±$7,529) | $60,943 (±$1,546) | $59,608 (±$691) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $155,400 (±$12,114) | $147,300 (±$4,303) | $162,600 (±$1,346) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $1,049 (±$158) | $964 (±$32) | $865 (±$9) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 79.7% (±7.4 points) | 70.0% (±2.2 points) | 55.9% (±0.6 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 19.3 minutes (±1.9) | 21.8 minutes (±0.7) | 26.6 minutes (±0.3) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 87.0% (±3.9 points) | 88.2% (±0.8 points) | 86.1% (±0.3 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 41.7 years (±1.9) | 43.8 years (±0.3) | 42.7 years (±0.2) | 38.9 years |
South Charleston covers 9.8 square miles of land, about 1,379 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How South Charleston has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 12,475 (±30) | 13,457 (±28) | +7.9% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 6,176 (±322) | 6,970 (±382) | +12.9% | Measurable increase |
| Median gross rent | $702 (±$28) | $844 (±$139) | +20.2% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $130,700 (±$7,000) | $155,400 (±$12,114) | +18.9% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median household income | $53,713 (±$4,473) | $63,884 (±$7,529) | +18.9% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,056 (±$82) | $1,189 (±$125) | +12.6% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $983 (±$71) | $1,049 (±$158) | +6.7% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 29.6% (±4.2 points) | 29.4% (±5.1 points) | −0.2 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 6.6% (±4.4 points) | 8.8% (±5.7 points) | +2.2 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in South Charleston
In 2025, the South Charleston Police Department reported 446 violent and 5,378 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across Kanawha County, the departments that report recorded 431 violent and 2,472 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in South Charleston
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25303 | 83% | 7,396 | $1,116 | $173,200 | $75,872 |
| 25309 | 17% | 12,154 | $773 | $158,000 | $57,937 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near South Charleston
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dunbar | 2.4 mi | $935 | $119,600 | 37.9% |
| Charleston | 4.3 mi | $908 | $203,300 | 36.7% |
| St. Albans | 6.4 mi | $931 | $140,800 | 28.2% |
| Nitro | 7.2 mi | $949 | $128,900 | 25.5% |
| Cross Lanes | 7.3 mi | $949 | $153,800 | 26.3% |
| Alum Creek | 7.8 mi | $859 | $159,300 | 8.8% |
| Tornado | 8.0 mi | — | $174,800 | 7.2% |
| Rand | 8.9 mi | $953 | $89,900 | 44.0% |
Places in West Virginia most like South Charleston
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vienna | $809 | $154,300 | $60,388 | 24.1% |
| Charleston | $908 | $203,300 | $65,812 | 36.7% |
| Ceredo | $765 | $126,800 | $49,635 | 29.5% |
| Fairmont | $916 | $163,800 | $63,032 | 36.9% |
| Athens | $975 | $168,100 | $56,667 | 25.9% |
| Shinnston | $972 | $153,200 | $69,844 | 21.7% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across West Virginia.
HUD Fair Market Rent for South Charleston, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $730 | $844 | $1,048 | $1,324 | $1,377 |
HUD income limits for South Charleston, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $17,000 | $28,300 | $45,300 |
| 2 people | $21,640 | $32,350 | $51,750 |
| 3 people | $27,320 | $36,400 | $58,200 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $40,400 | $64,650 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $43,650 | $69,850 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $46,900 | $75,000 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $50,100 | $80,200 |
| 8 people | $53,350 | $53,350 | $85,350 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Charleston, WV HUD Metro FMR Area, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $80,800.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about South Charleston
What is the average rent in South Charleston, WV?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in South Charleston is $844 (±$139) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in South Charleston?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in South Charleston, WV is $744 (±$44) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in South Charleston rent-burdened?
51.8% of renting households in South Charleston pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in South Charleston?
South Charleston has an estimated 1,817 (±313) renting households, 29.4% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in South Charleston?
The median household income in South Charleston is $63,884 (±$7,529) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in South Charleston, WV?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $155,400 (±$12,114) for owner-occupied homes in South Charleston (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is South Charleston growing?
In South Charleston, the number of residents went from 12,475 in 2015–2019 to 13,457 in 2020–2024 (+7.9%), a measurable increase.
What ZIP codes are in South Charleston?
The ZIP codes that cover South Charleston are 25303, 25309.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 25303?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 25303 is $1,116 (±$92) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — South Charleston city, West Virginia
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — South Charleston city, West Virginia
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — South Charleston city, West Virginia
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — South Charleston city, West Virginia
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — South Charleston city, West Virginia
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — South Charleston city, West Virginia
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — South Charleston city, West Virginia
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Charleston, WV HUD Metro FMR Area
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Charleston, WV HUD Metro FMR Area
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: South Charleston Police Department (ORI WV0200600)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for South Charleston city, West Virginia (place:75292, in state:54).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .