Charleston, West Virginia
About Charleston
Charleston is a thriving city in western West Virginia with an estimated population of 46,482. It ranks as the 1st largest city in West Virginia.
Officially, Charleston is an incorporated city with its own municipal government. The community covers 31.4 square miles, giving it a balanced suburban layout with room to breathe at roughly 1,480 residents per square mile.
📰 Charleston News Today
- PHOTOS: Flooding strikes across West Virginia WOWK 13 News · Aug 16
- Dozens of swift water rescues in Charleston WV MetroNews · Aug 16
- 50+ water rescue calls, no injuries reported as flash flooding swamps Kanawha County - Charleston Gazette-Mail Charleston Gazette-Mail · Aug 16
- New bullseye for summer of rain; damage reported in Fayette, Kanawha, Raleigh surrounding counties WV MetroNews · Aug 16
- Goodwin declares State of Emergency in Charleston after devastating flooding WV MetroNews · Aug 17
Live headlines via Google News — updates through the day.
What Makes Charleston Unique
- The largest city in West Virginia — the economic and cultural anchor of the state.
- One of 8 places in the US named Charleston — but the West Virginia one has a character all its own.
- Positioned in western West Virginia, convenient to the region's corridors and crossings.
Why People Love It Here
- The sweet spot: real amenities without big-city congestion.
- Local businesses and schools anchored by a stable resident base of 46,482.
- Well connected: 3+ neighboring communities within 6 miles.
📍 Neighborhoods in Charleston
Click a neighborhood to see it on the map.
🍽️ Where to Eat in Charleston
- Best of Crete Deli — greek
- Black Sheep — mexican
- Caffe Romeo (café)
- Chili's — tex-mex
- Chow Thai — thai
- Dem 2 Brothers & A Grill — barbecue
- Fazio's Little Italy — italian
- Hale House — bistro
- Kel's Tavern — american
- Lola's Pizza — pizza
Local spots mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.
🎡 Fun Things to Do
- Bear Wood Company · Art gallery
- West Virginia State Museum · Museum
- Annex Gallery · Art gallery
- Frankenberger Art Gallery · Museum
- Sunrise Bird Sanctuary Museum · Museum
- Tusie's · Arcade
- WV market gallery · Art gallery
- West Virginia Cultural Center · Museum
Attractions mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.
🏞️ Parks & Outdoors in Charleston
- Living AIDS Memorial Garden reviews ★
- Bigley Avenue Little League Fields reviews ★
- Briar St Park reviews ★
- Capitol Complex Monument Park reviews ★
- Carriage Trail reviews ★
- Cato Park reviews ★
- Chilton Reserve reviews ★
- Danner Meadow Park reviews ★
- East End Community Gardens · Garden reviews ★
- East End Community Park reviews ★
- East End Historic District reviews ★
- Elk River City Park reviews ★
Parks mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · "reviews" opens each park's live Google reviews.
🏫 Schools in Charleston
- Andrew Jackson Middle School
- Carver Career Center
- Chamberlain Elementary School
- Cross Lanes Elementary School
- Elk Elementary Center
- Flinn Elementary School
- George Washington High School
- Grandview Elementary School
- Holz Elementary School
- Horace Mann Middle School
- John Adams Middle School
- Kanawha City Elementary School
- Kenna Elementary School
- West Virginia Virtual Academy
Public schools, U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES) 2023–24 directory.
🏥 Hospitals & Healthcare
- Charleston Area Medical Center ★★ (2/5 CMS rating) · 24/7 ER
- Camc Charleston Surgical Hospital
- Highland Hospital · Psychiatric
Medicare-registered hospitals with official CMS star ratings.