City profile · Indiana · Census ACS 2023

Charlestown, IN

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Charlestown - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

8,118
Residents
$77,548
Median income
$191,200
Median home
$1,272
Median rent (state)

Charlestown - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Charlestown places in the 59th percentile for household income and the 71st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

59th
percentile, household income
40th
percentile, home value
43rd
percentile, median rent
71st
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Charlestown, IN

Indiana's Charlestown is a small town, with 8,118 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Charlestown households earn a median of $77,548 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 6.8%. Home values in Charlestown run a median of $191,200, and the median resident age is 36.3 years. 23.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 65.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 74 residential building permits were authorized in Charlestown (Construction Slowdown), down 33% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Charlestown reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 829.0 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Indiana run below the national norm: the state registers 93.3 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,272 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Indiana's average monthly utility costs around $235 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 81.4 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

8,118 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Indiana

Median Household Income

$77,548 /yr

Poverty 6.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

93.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Indiana average

How does Charlestown compare to other US cities?

Where Charlestown sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 59% higher than other cities
Home value 40% pricier than other cities
Median rent 43% pricier than other cities
Safety 71% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Indiana alone, Charlestown ranks #42 of 109 Indiana cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Charlestown against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Indiana only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Indiana-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Charlestown toward the top of Indiana's cities

Among the 850 Indiana cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Charlestown ranks #179 - the 76th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Charlestown only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#194 of 766
75th percentile in Indiana
Median Gross Rent
#179 of 850
76th percentile in Indiana
Median Home Value
#192 of 771
75th percentile in Indiana
Poverty Rate
#424 of 849
49th percentile in Indiana
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#219 of 850
74th percentile in Indiana

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Indiana only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

59thIncome percentile
71stSafety percentile

59th percentile nationally for median household income · 71st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Charlestown's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Charlestown's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 63 Avg. percentile National median
Charlestown's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Charlestown's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$191,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 60% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Charlestown $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Charlestown, IN Charlestown, IN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Charlestown, IN-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Charlestown, IN median $77,548/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Charlestown, IN's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Charlestown, IN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 23.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 65.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
8,118
Median Income
$77,548
Median Home Value
$191,200
Median Age
36.3
Poverty Rate
6.8%
Labor force participation
65.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
23.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
829.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
103.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
725.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
7,500 residents8,000 residents8,500 residents9,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 7,849 residents 8,802 residents ▲ +12.1%
Charlestown's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
74
housing units authorized
Single-Family
69
detached homes
Multifamily
5
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
9.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 110
2020 188
2021 181
2022 59
2023 69
2024 74

Permit volume decreased 33% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
86.8%
Carpool
3.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.5%
Work from Home
4.5%
Other
2.4%

Based on 3,900 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Indiana - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$110
avg/month
Natural Gas
$80
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$235
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Indiana state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Indiana state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Charlestown sits in

Cost of Living Index
93.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,272/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
81.4 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Indiana

Brazil
8,064 people
Elwood
8,320 people
Princeton
8,347 people
Winfield
7,501 people
Tell City
7,490 people
Lakes of the Four Seasons
7,338 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Charlestown's 8,118 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Applewood, CO
8,120 people
Dormont, PA
8,120 people
Providence, TX
8,116 people
York, NE
8,114 people
Spotswood, NJ
8,112 people
Fairwood, MD
8,108 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Charlestown's $77,548 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Mohave Valley, AZ
$77,547 median income
Dodge Center, MN
$77,552 median income
New Baden, IL
$77,542 median income
Grundy Center, IA
$77,540 median income
Hayden, ID
$77,534 median income
Northlake, IL
$77,564 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Charlestown, IN Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Charlestown, IN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 81.5% 9.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.4% White 81.5% Black or African American 4.2% Asian 0.4% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 4.3% Two or more races 9.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Charlestown compares to nearby Indiana cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Charlestown (this city) 8,118 $77,548
Brazil 8,064 $49,331
Elwood 8,320 $54,084
Princeton 8,347 $57,234
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IN FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Charlestown, IN?

What is the population of Charlestown, IN? +

Charlestown, IN counts 8,118 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Charlestown, IN? +

Charlestown households earn a median of $77,548 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Charlestown? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Charlestown; the closest available measure is the Indiana state average, a cost of living index of 93.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Indiana vary by metro area.

Is Charlestown, IN safe? +

Charlestown has a total crime rate of 829.0 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Charlestown, IN? +

Homes in Charlestown carry a median value of $191,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.