25309 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
25309
25177
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 20%
vs36 · Bottom 15%
Growth
13 · Bottom 3%
vs19 · Bottom 6%
Climate
75 · Top 31%
vs75 · Top 31%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 21%
vs25 · Bottom 20%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs96 · Top 19%
Schools
36 · Bottom 30%
vs26 · Bottom 18%
Access
0 · Bottom 1%
vs3 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
35 · Bottom 14%
vs24 · Bottom 5%
Measured values
| Metric | 25309 | 25177 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,154 | 22,665 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,937 | $55,046 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,613 | $31,572 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 391/sq mi | 718/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $158,000 | $139,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $773 | $907 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.2% | 72.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.5% | 21.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.0% | 21.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 8 | 2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.2" | 46.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 121 mi | 115 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.3 min | 23.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.2 | 43.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.16 | 15.53 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 32.1% | 25.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 27.7% | 31.7% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
25309
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
25177
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: 25309 — South Charleston, WV · 25177 — St. Albans, WV · How this is calculated: methodology