Residential comparison · 13 facts
Charleston, WV vs Wheeling, WV
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Charleston needs about $83,000 in Wheeling to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Wheeling, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $87,000 in Charleston.
A few differences
- Charleston is higher on median household income ($65,812 vs $48,590).
- Wheeling is lower on cost of living index (74 vs 79).
- Wheeling is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($899/mo vs $1,010/mo).
Charleston vs Wheeling · facet by facet
| Facet | Charleston, WV | Wheeling, WV |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $203,300 | $146,500 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,010/mo | $899/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.57% | 0.57% |
| State & local income tax | 4.07% | 4.07% |
| Sales tax | 6.55% | 6.55% |
| Cost of living index | 79 | 74 |
| Groceries index | 96 | 96 |
| Utilities | $165/mo | $165/mo |
| Median household income | $65,812 | $48,590 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.2% |
| Crime index | 38/100 | 38/100 |
| School rating | 4.6/10 | 4.6/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 160 days | 160 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Charleston, WV · Wheeling, WV
Questions & answers
- Is Charleston cheaper than Wheeling?
- Wheeling has the lower day-to-day cost index (74 vs 79 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Wheeling equals $85,000 in Charleston?
- A household earning $85,000 in Charleston needs about $83,000 in Wheeling to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Wheeling lifestyle costs about $87,000 in Charleston.