Charles Town vs Shannondale
Charles Town, West Virginia versus Shannondale, West Virginia: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Charles Town and Shannondale score about the same overall (48 vs 49 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Charles Town | Shannondale |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $83k | $83k |
| Cost of Living | $54k | $54k |
| Home Value | $324k | $236k |
| Monthly Rent | $963 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.69% | 0.54% |
| Income Tax | 6.50% | 6.50% |
| Sales Tax | 6.57% | 6.57% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.34% | 10.21% |
| Unemployment | 7.3% | 5.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 33°F | 33°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 77°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.1 in | 43.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 23.1 in | 23.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 231 days | 231 days |
| Summer Humidity | 64°F | 64°F |
| Comfortable Days | 75 days | 76 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 35.9 | 24.5 |
| Air Quality | 50 AQI | 49 AQI |
| School Quality | 44.7 | 44.7 |
| Violent Crime | 448/100k | 448/100k |
| Property Crime | 604/100k | 604/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 6,584 | 3,294 |
| Median Age | 41.2 | 42.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.42 | 0.23 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 1.07 |
| Political Leaning | R+11 | R+11 |
| White (%) | 70.6% | 85.2% |
| Black (%) | 14.4% | 1.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.9% | 3.6% |
| Asian (%) | 1.8% | 1.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.3% | 9.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 37 min | — |
| Walkability | 7.8/20 | 4.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 31 mi | 26 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.7% | 96.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 83.54 | 33.39 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Charles Town or Shannondale more affordable?
- Shannondale has the lower cost of living: its index is $54k, compared with Charles Town's $54k and Shannondale's $54k. Median rent is $963 in Charles Town versus $1k in Shannondale.
- Is Charles Town or Shannondale safer?
- Shannondale has the lower violent crime rate. Charles Town reports 448/100k and Shannondale reports 448/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Charles Town or Shannondale?
- The median home value is $324k in Charles Town and $236k in Shannondale, so homes are more affordable in Shannondale.