Metro area profile · West Virginia
Charleston, WV metro area market data
How the Charleston metro area compares with other metro areas for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 200,170
- −4.7% since 2020
- Households
- 87,358
- Median household income
- $60,117
- Median home value
- $141,100
- Jobs located here
- 110,278
- Highest market score
- 68
- Lawn, cleaning and pest control, #72 of 387 scored metro areas
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Charleston metro area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Charleston metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
The Charleston metro area has an estimated 200,170 people and 87,358 households. Population estimates put the population change in the Charleston metro area from 2020 to 2025 at −4.7%, against +3.1% for the U.S. Median household income in the Charleston metro area is $60,117, 26% below the U.S. median of $80,734.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Charleston metro area runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 109, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (60).
Of the business types scored in the Charleston metro area, lawn care, cleaning and pest control companies (68); landscaping and lawn care companies (66); and house cleaning businesses (65) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For lawn care, cleaning and pest control companies, that ranks #72 of 387 scored metro areas.
The Charleston metro area takes in 3 counties: Kanawha County, Boone County and Clay County. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for oil change and quick-lube shops (2.1 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for real estate agents and brokers (59% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Charleston metro area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Charleston metro area with other metro areas for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among metro areas | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 68 | #72 of 387 | 46 | 5.3 | $2.5M | 151 | 67 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 66 | #100 of 385 | 27 | 3.1 | $4.3M | 147 | 33 |
| House cleaning | 65 | #69 of 375 | 11 | 1.3 | $10.6M | 165 | 28 |
| Pest control | 62 | #87 of 345 | 8 | 0.9 | $14.5M | 142 | 6 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 60 | #83 of 387 | 109 | 12.5 | Index only | 204 | 33 |
| Real estate | 59 | #98 of 387 | 148 | 16.9 | Index only | 189 | 84 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 58 | #115 of 373 | 17 | 1.9 | Index only | 183 | 4 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 55 | #146 of 387 | 59 | 6.8 | $4.9M | 133 | 25 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 55 | #148 of 387 | 40 | 4.6 | $5.6M | 118 | 51 |
| Pet businesses | 55 | #155 of 387 | 64 | 7.3 | $1.1M | 122 | 39 |
| Pet stores | 54 | #159 of 382 | 13 | 1.5 | $5.3M | 117 | 4 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 52 | #177 of 386 | 17 | 1.9 | $4M | 158 | 17 |
| Property management | 51 | #170 of 374 | 14 | 1.6 | Index only | 156 | 33 |
| Home repair trades | 51 | #180 of 387 | 85 | 9.7 | $2.6M | 109 | 108 |
| Veterinarians | 51 | #187 of 384 | 23 | 2.6 | $3M | 110 | 18 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 50 | #161 of 347 | 9 | 1.0 | $5.7M | 141 | 17 |
| Dry cleaners | 49 | #153 of 272 | 6 | 0.7 | $24.6M | 157 | 6 |
| Electricians | 46 | #222 of 383 | 17 | 1.9 | $13.2M | 110 | 46 |
| Child care and preschools | 45 | #231 of 387 | 29 | 3.3 | $1.1M | 111 | 44 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 45 | #237 of 387 | 148 | 16.9 | $999K | 113 | 57 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 45 | #241 of 387 | 63 | 7.2 | $4.6M | 111 | 30 |
| Roofing and gutters | 43 | #249 of 381 | 28 | 3.2 | $8M | 95 | 11 |
| Hair salons | 42 | #264 of 387 | 161 | 18.4 | $434K | 101 | 26 |
| Grocery stores | 41 | #252 of 387 | 46 | 5.3 | $10.7M | 115 | 30 |
| Chiropractors | 41 | #253 of 386 | 31 | 3.5 | $2.8M | 118 | 19 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 41 | #259 of 387 | 111 | 12.7 | $1.3M | 105 | 51 |
| Insurance agencies | 40 | #247 of 387 | 143 | 16.4 | $1.3M | 104 | 86 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 36 | #327 of 387 | 348 | 39.8 | $201K | 94 | 52 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 35 | #289 of 387 | 782 | 89.5 | $372K | 100 | 361 |
| Gyms | 35 | #320 of 387 | 48 | 5.5 | $1.1M | 83 | 17 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 34 | #303 of 387 | 164 | 18.8 | $3M | 88 | 40 |
| Spas and skin care | 34 | #339 of 387 | 84 | 9.6 | $832K | 95 | 11 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 33 | #336 of 387 | 98 | 11.2 | $526K | 79 | 26 |
| Nail salons | 33 | #345 of 387 | 41 | 4.7 | $1.7M | 102 | 11 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 32 | #325 of 387 | 430 | 49.2 | $676K | 102 | 143 |
| Physical therapy | 29 | #338 of 386 | 36 | 4.1 | $2.4M | 101 | 37 |
| Convenience stores | 28 | #330 of 387 | 99 | 11.3 | $5M | 63 | 10 |
| Barbershops | 27 | #345 of 387 | 57 | 6.5 | $1.2M | 65 | 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 26 | #376 of 387 | 41 | 4.7 | $1.3M | 62 | 9 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 25 | #183 of 197 | 6 | 0.7 | $14.5M | 59 | 5 |
| Funeral homes | 23 | #347 of 377 | 31 | 3.5 | $446K | 66 | 20 |
| Tire shops | 21 | #356 of 386 | 32 | 3.7 | $2.1M | 83 | 16 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 21 | #367 of 387 | 669 | 76.6 | $130K | 85 | 295 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 20 | #360 of 381 | 33 | 3.8 | $2M | 65 | 19 |
| Auto repair shops | 19 | #370 of 387 | 199 | 22.8 | $334K | 75 | 82 |
| Auto repair and car care | 16 | #378 of 387 | 350 | 40.1 | $190K | 71 | 124 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 15 | #384 of 387 | 126 | 14.4 | $692K | 70 | 74 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 14 | #378 of 387 | 83 | 9.5 | $1.1M | 59 | 142 |
| Gas stations | 14 | #380 of 387 | 149 | 17.1 | $1.5M | 61 | 89 |
| Home inspectors | 13 | #238 of 243 | 8 | 0.9 | Index only | 58 | Under 3 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 13 | #379 of 387 | 138 | 15.8 | $2.1M | 69 | 188 |
| Pizza | 12 | #381 of 387 | 92 | 10.5 | $3.2M | 62 | 188 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 10 | #288 of 290 | 13 | 1.5 | $5.1M | 37 | 8 |
| Car washes and detailing | 9 | #384 of 387 | 48 | 5.5 | $1.4M | 55 | 16 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 8 | #384 of 386 | 43 | 4.9 | $2M | 65 | 18 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 0.3 | $49.3M | 394 | Under 3 |
Household spending in the Charleston metro area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $66.6M | $762 | 80 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $217.6M | $2,491 | 96 |
| Food away from home | $290.8M | $3,329 | 82 |
| Groceries | $490.2M | $5,612 | 89 |
| Personal care products and services | $69.9M | $800 | 80 |
| Child care and other personal services | $32.4M | $371 | 64 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $51.5M | $590 | 60 |
| Medical and dental services | $87.2M | $998 | 77 |
| Pets | $68.6M | $785 | 86 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $147.8M | $1,692 | 82 |
| Vehicle insurance | $186.2M | $2,131 | 109 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $225.2M | $2,578 | 85 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $116.4M | $1,332 | 94 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $1.2B | $13,861 | 83 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Charleston metro area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 200,170−4.7% since 2020
- Households
- 87,358
- Median age
- 43.9
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 72%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.6
- Land area
- 1,746 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 118
- Median household income
- $60,117
- Average household income
- $81,990
- Median home value
- $141,100
- Jobs located here
- 110,278
- Daytime population
- 231,110Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Charleston metro area?
These figures cover the whole metro area. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Charleston metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Charleston metro area 3
- Kanawha County, WV176,537 people
- Boone County, WV21,026 people
- Clay County, WV7,835 people
Other markets based in West Virginia 10
- Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH metro area370,729 people
- Morgantown, WV metro area141,323 people
- Wheeling, WV-OH metro area136,920 people
- Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH metro area114,754 people
- Beckley, WV metro area112,714 people
- Parkersburg-Vienna, WV metro area88,460 people
- Bluefield, WV-VA area98,187 people
- Clarksburg, WV area89,182 people
- Fairmont, WV area55,909 people
- Elkins, WV area27,576 people
Questions
How fast is the Charleston, WV metro area growing?
Population estimates put the Charleston metro area at 200,170 people in 2025, down 4.7% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 87,358 households.
How much do households in the Charleston, WV metro area spend?
Households in the Charleston metro area spend about $1.2B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $490.2M on groceries and $290.8M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in the Charleston metro area spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 109, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (60).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Charleston, WV metro area?
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Charleston metro area are for lawn care, cleaning and pest control companies (68); landscaping and lawn care companies (66); and house cleaning businesses (65). The Charleston metro area ranks #72 of 387 scored metro areas for lawn care, cleaning and pest control companies.
How does the Charleston, WV metro area compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in the Charleston metro area is $60,117 a year, 26% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 4.7% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $141,100, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, the Charleston metro area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for oil change and quick-lube shops (2.1 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for real estate agents and brokers (59% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 55 of the 56 business types have a score in the Charleston metro area, each ranked against other metro areas.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Charleston metro area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in West Virginia · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in the Charleston metro area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Charleston metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.