City profile · Missouri · Census ACS 2023

Charleston, MO

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

4,565
Residents
$35,139
Median income
$107,700
Median home
$888
Median rent (state)

Charleston - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Charleston lands in the 5th percentile for household income and the 25th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

5th
percentile, household income
12th
percentile, home value
4th
percentile, median rent
25th
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: Charleston, MO

Charleston is a small town in Missouri, home to 4,565 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Charleston households earn a median of $35,139 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 20.5%. Charleston's housing stock carries a median value of $107,700, and the median resident age is 42.9 years. 10.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 34.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 2 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Low Activity). Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2361.1 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Missouri run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Missouri scores 90.8 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $888 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $219 across Missouri, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in Charleston report an average commute of 18.7 minutes, with 78.6% driving alone and 3.9% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 57.2 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

Population

4,565 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Missouri

Median Household Income

$35,139 /yr

Poverty 20.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Missouri average

How does Charleston compare to other US cities?

Here's how Charleston stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 5% higher than other cities
Home value 12% pricier than other cities
Median rent 4% pricier than other cities
Safety 25% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Missouri, Charleston ranks #165 of 234 Missouri cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Charleston's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Missouri, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

5thIncome percentile
25thSafety percentile

5th percentile nationally for median household income · 25th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Charleston's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Charleston'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 41 Avg. percentile National median
Charleston'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 Charleston's home value compares nationally

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

$107,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 88% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. Charleston $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 - Charleston, MO Charleston, MO's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Charleston, MO-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 Charleston, MO median $35,139/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%
Charleston, MO'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 Charleston, MO. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 10.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 20.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 34.1%

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

Population
4,565
Median Income
$35,139
Median Home Value
$107,700
Median Age
42.9
Poverty Rate
20.5%
Labor force participation
34.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
10.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2361.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
809.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1551.6
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
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
4,200 residents4,400 residents4,600 residents4,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,617 residents 4,731 residents ▲ +2.5%
Charleston's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Low Activity
Total Permits (2024)
2
housing units authorized
Single-Family
2
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 1
2021 0
2022 0
2023 1
2024 2

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
18.7 minutes
Drive Alone
78.6%
Carpool
13.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
3.9%
Work from Home
3.9%

Based on 1,275 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$72
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$219
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Missouri 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 Missouri state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Charleston sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$888/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
57.2 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Missouri

Holts Summit
4,572 people
Butler
4,594 people
Mount Vernon
4,532 people
Lexington
4,602 people
California
4,523 people
Hollister
4,608 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Charleston's 4,565 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Greenacres, CA
4,566 people
East Porterville, CA
4,567 people
Little Falls, NY
4,567 people
Camanche, IA
4,562 people
Lake Tansi, TN
4,562 people
Heron Bay, GA
4,561 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Charleston's $35,139 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Fort Meade, FL
$35,131 median income
Alford, IN
$35,147 median income
Newcomerstown, OH
$35,125 median income
Lone Wolf, OK
$35,156 median income
Notchietown, OK
$35,156 median income
Ripley, WV
$35,120 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Charleston, MO 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 Charleston, MO - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 37.3% 55.7% 7.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.0% White 37.3% Black or African American 55.7% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 7.0% 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 Charleston compares to nearby Missouri cities

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

City Population Median Household Income
Charleston (this city) 4,565 $35,139
Holts Summit 4,572 $81,927
Butler 4,594 $36,276
Mount Vernon 4,532 $49,153
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MO FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Charleston, MO?

What is the population of Charleston, MO? +

Charleston, MO has a population of 4,565 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Charleston, MO? +

The median household income in Charleston is $35,139 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Charleston? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Charleston; the closest available measure is the Missouri state average, a cost of living index of 90.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Missouri vary by metro area.

Is Charleston, MO safe? +

Charleston has a total crime rate of 2361.1 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 Charleston, MO? +

Charleston's median home value sits at $107,700, 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 Editorial

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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.