Charleston vs Parkersburg
Charleston, West Virginia versus Parkersburg, West Virginia: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Parkersburg edges out Charleston on overall objective livability (48 vs 41 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Charleston | Parkersburg |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $59k | $42k |
| Cost of Living | $47k | $49k |
| Home Value | $173k | $104k |
| Monthly Rent | $870 | $758 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $907 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| Income Tax | 7.50% | 7.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.57% | 6.57% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.86% | 11.04% |
| Unemployment | 5.8% | 6.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 35°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.2 in | 44.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 31.5 in | 11.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 203 days | 228 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 77 days | 71 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 69.5 | 26.6 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 39 AQI |
| School Quality | 60.4 | 41.4 |
| Violent Crime | 2754/100k | 2035/100k |
| Property Crime | 4405/100k | 3464/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 48,415 | 29,685 |
| Median Age | 42.2 | 42.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.37 | 0.12 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | R+15 | R+43 |
| White (%) | 77.1% | 92.5% |
| Black (%) | 12.8% | 1.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 1.6% | 1.5% |
| Asian (%) | 2.5% | 0.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.9% | 3.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 18 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 8.7/20 | 10.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 132 mi | 88 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.2% | 81.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 33.87 | 37.73 |
| 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 Parkersburg more affordable?
- Charleston has the lower cost of living: its index is $47k, compared with Charleston's $47k and Parkersburg's $49k. Median rent is $870 in Charleston versus $758 in Parkersburg.
- Is Charleston or Parkersburg safer?
- Parkersburg has the lower violent crime rate. Charleston reports 2754/100k and Parkersburg reports 2035/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Charleston or Parkersburg?
- The median home value is $173k in Charleston and $104k in Parkersburg, so homes are more affordable in Parkersburg.