Charleston receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Charleston
Shasta Lake
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 32%
vs46 · Bottom 29%
Growth
14 · Bottom 4%
vs37 · Bottom 28%
Climate
75 · Top 29%
vs59 · Bottom 13%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 21%
vs13 · Bottom 9%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 11%
vs73 · Bottom 38%
Access
0 · Bottom 1%
vs0 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
35 · Bottom 12%
vs46 · Bottom 26%
Measured values
| Metric | Charleston | Shasta Lake | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 47,421 | 10,311 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,812 | $67,401 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,097 | $34,465 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,510/sq mi | 946/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $203,300 | $294,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $908 | $1,298 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.3% | 68.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.2% | 15.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.8% | 13.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4 | 6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -77.8% | -14.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 100°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.2" | 33.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 123 mi | 120 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.3 min | 20.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.0 | 41.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.66 | 20.46 | 2024-25 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
Charleston
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Shasta Lake
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Charleston
44
Your Score
47
Area Score
Shasta Lake
39
Your Score
42
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Charleston, WV · Shasta Lake, CA · How this is calculated: methodology