Charleston vs Huntington
Charleston, West Virginia versus Huntington, West Virginia: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Charleston and Huntington score about the same overall (41 vs 43 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Charleston | Huntington |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $59k | $39k |
| Cost of Living | $47k | $50k |
| Home Value | $173k | $115k |
| Monthly Rent | $870 | $841 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| Income Tax | 7.50% | 7.50% |
| Sales Tax | 6.57% | 6.57% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.86% | 11.88% |
| Unemployment | 5.8% | 7.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 35°F | 35°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.2 in | 47.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 31.5 in | 10.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 203 days | 217 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 77 days | 79 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 69.5 | 50.1 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 60.4 | 53.7 |
| Violent Crime | 2754/100k | 1919/100k |
| Property Crime | 4405/100k | 3295/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 48,415 | 46,637 |
| Median Age | 42.2 | 35.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.37 | 0.27 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.90 |
| Political Leaning | R+15 | R+18 |
| White (%) | 77.1% | 84.6% |
| Black (%) | 12.8% | 7.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 1.6% | 1.7% |
| Asian (%) | 2.5% | 1.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 18 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 8.7/20 | 10.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 132 mi | 113 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.2% | 79.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 33.87 | 30.88 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Limited |
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 Charleston or Huntington more affordable?
- Charleston has the lower cost of living: its index is $47k, compared with Charleston's $47k and Huntington's $50k. Median rent is $870 in Charleston versus $841 in Huntington.
- Is Charleston or Huntington safer?
- Huntington has the lower violent crime rate. Charleston reports 2754/100k and Huntington reports 1919/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Charleston or Huntington?
- The median home value is $173k in Charleston and $115k in Huntington, so homes are more affordable in Huntington.