Huntington-Ashland receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Charleston
Huntington-Ashland
Opportunity
32 · Bottom 9%
vs40 · Bottom 19%
Growth
7 · Bottom 2%
vs39 · Bottom 33%
Climate
75 · Top 20%
vs75 · Top 18%
Physical resilience
22 · Bottom 11%
vs23 · Bottom 12%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
0 · Bottom 1%
vs34 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
23 · Bottom 14%
vs27 · Bottom 17%
Measured values
| Metric | Charleston | Huntington-Ashland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 205,398 | 370,729 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $60,117 | $60,078 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,996 | $33,619 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 118/sq mi | 127/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $141,100 | $154,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $896 | $884 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.2% | 73.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.2% | 23.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.2% | 16.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 91 | 458 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 1.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -32.6% | 25.8% | 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" | 45.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 131 mi | 99 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.8 min | 25.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.0 | 41.9 | 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.
Huntington-Ashland
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
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
Huntington-Ashland
48
Your Score
50
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Charleston, WV Metro Area · Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology