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Moving to Charleston, West Virginia

Charleston pays new residents up to $12,000 through Ascend West Virginia: Charleston Area. Here is what life costs in Kanawha County, home of Charleston, where people work, what there is to do, and remote jobs you can bring with you.
  • $12,000Paid to move hereAscend West Virginia: Charleston Area
  • $147,300Typical home value1Kanawha County
  • $906Typical rent1Utilities included
  • 172,381Population-4.6% since 2020

By Sol Lakein.Checked November 4, 2026.How we compare costs

Get paid to move to Charleston

Tap a program for who qualifies, how it pays, whether it is open and the official link.

Every program in West Virginia

Something to know about Charleston

Did you know?

The dome of West Virginia's State Capitol in Charleston, designed by Cass Gilbert and dedicated in 1932, rises 292 feet, higher than the dome of the U.S. Capitol.

Source: West Virginia Legislature, read November 2026

A fact about Charleston

What it costs to live in Charleston

Kanawha County next to West Virginia and the US.1
MeasureKanawha CountyWest VirginiaUnited States
Typical home value$147,300$162,600$332,700
Monthly owner costs with a mortgage$1,216$1,255$1,963
Typical rent, with utilities$906$872$1,413
Typical household income$60,943$59,608$80,734
Homes lived in by their owners71.1%74.9%65.2%
Households with broadband88.2%86.1%91.0%
Average commute, one way22 min27 min26 min

On the typical home here, the mortgage comes to about $809 a month2.

Jobs and work in Kanawha County

  • 74,799Jobs at local employers2023, +0.9% vs 2022
  • 4,396Employer businesses2023
  • 9,694Self-employed businessesNonemployer firms, 2024
  • 88.2%Households with broadbandUS: 91.0%

55.5% of residents 16 and older are in the labor force, the average commute is 21.8 minutes, and 29.7% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree1,3. Builders pulled permits for 97 new homes in 2025.

Remote jobs you can do from Charleston

1 of Charleston's 1 program requires a full-time remote job. These are current remote openings for people living in the US.

Loading current remote jobs.

Things to do in Charleston

Notable places in Kanawha County, by type.4

Parks, lakes and the outdoors

  • Booker T. Washington State Park
  • Saint Albans City Park
  • Blackwell Field
  • Shawnee Park

Museums, theaters and libraries

  • East End Historic District
  • Downtown Charleston Historic District
  • West Virginia State Museum
  • Luna Park Historic District

Colleges and universities

  • University of Charleston
  • West Virginia State University
  • BridgeValley Community and Technical College

Sports and recreation

  • Schoenbaum Stadium

Attractions

  • Luna Park

Thinking about Charleston? Get the free moving guide

12 pages: what a move costs, hiring movers safely, an 8-week checklist and how to apply for programs like these.

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Moving to Charleston: questions people ask

Does Charleston pay you to move there?

Yes. Ascend West Virginia: Charleston Area: $12,000 cash. Each program has its own rules, status and official link on its page, checked October 30, 2026.

How much does it cost to live in Charleston?

In Kanawha County, the median owner-occupied home is valued at $147,300 and median gross rent is $906 a month (US Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). West Virginia: $162,600 and $872. United States: $332,700 and $1,413. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest on a home at the county median value come to about $809 a month (our arithmetic).

Is Charleston a good place to live?

It depends on what you need. On the numbers: home values in Kanawha County are below the US median, household income is below the US median, and the population fell 4.6% from April 2020 to July 2025 (US Census Bureau). Visit before you decide.

Can I work remotely from Charleston?

88.2% of households in Kanawha County have a broadband subscription (US: 91.0%; ACS 2020-2024). 1 of the 1 local program requires a full-time remote job.

What is there to do in Charleston?

Notable places in Kanawha County include Booker T. Washington State Park, Saint Albans City Park, East End Historic District, Downtown Charleston Historic District, University of Charleston. The full list by type is on this page (Wikidata).

Other West Virginia towns that pay you to move

Notes on the numbers
  1. 1Costs and people: US Census Bureau QuickFacts, American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimates (dollars in 2024 terms), read November 4, 2026. "Typical" is the median. Census figures cover all homes and renters, not just recent sales or new leases. QuickFacts
  2. 2Mortgage: principal and interest on the county's typical home value with 20% down at 7.32% (Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average, week of October 22, 2026), our arithmetic. Rate source
  3. 3Jobs and businesses: US Census Bureau QuickFacts, County Business Patterns 2023, Nonemployer Statistics 2024, Building Permits Survey 2025, ACS 2020-2024.
  4. 4Things to do: notable places from Wikidata (CC0), read November 4, 2026. Know a place we should add? Email hello@slowersundays.com.
Sources for this page