Charleston and Beckley receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Charleston
Beckley
Opportunity
32 · Bottom 9%
vs17 · Bottom 2%
Growth
7 · Bottom 2%
vs21 · Bottom 10%
Climate
75 · Top 20%
vs66 · Bottom 49%
Physical resilience
22 · Bottom 11%
vs43 · Bottom 33%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs97 · Top 43%
Access
0 · Bottom 1%
vs0 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
23 · Bottom 14%
vs10 · Bottom 3%
Measured values
| Metric | Charleston | Beckley | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 205,398 | 112,714 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $60,117 | $52,620 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,996 | $28,557 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 118/sq mi | 89/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $141,100 | $129,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $896 | $856 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.2% | 76.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -3.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.2% | 20.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.2% | 21.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 91 | 87 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -32.6% | 7.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.2" | 43.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 131 mi | 120 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.8 min | 27.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.0 | 43.4 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Charleston
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Beckley
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Charleston
37
Your Score
41
Area Score
Beckley
36
Your Score
41
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Charleston, WV Metro Area · Beckley, WV Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology