Town · Vermont
Charleston, Vermont
Charleston, town, in Orleans County, Vermont. Charleston had 982 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,021 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 936 (±144). GEOID 5001913150.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
982
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,021 · ACS 2020-2024: 936 ±144
Median household income
$49,286
±$16,836 (90% margin)
Vermont: $81,203
Median home value
$238,000
±$52,881 (90% margin)
Vermont: $316,600
Median gross rent
$979
±$444 (90% margin)
Vermont: $1,234
Where is Charleston and what county is it in?
Charleston is a town in Orleans County, Vermont. It covers 37.1 square miles of land, 28 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Charleston, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 982 people lived in Charleston on July 1, 2025, down 3.4% since 2020, while Vermont grew 0.2%. The 2020 Census counted 1,021 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 936 (±144).
| Measure | Charleston | Orleans County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 936±144 | 27,606 | no clear change |
| Households | 464±90 | 12,072 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.02±0.25 | 2.22 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 617±119 | 16,751 | no clear change |
Charleston's population since 2000
From 895 in 2000 to 982 in 2025: up 9.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Charleston as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Charleston?
The median resident of Charleston is 58.4 years old; 11.2% are under 18 and 37.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 96.8%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 2.1%. 4.4% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Charleston | Orleans County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 58.4±9.3 | 45.7 | +15.0 |
| Under 18 years | 11.2%±5.6 pts | 19.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 37.7%±9.2 pts | 23.9% | – |
| Male | 52.8%±5.6 pts | 50.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.1%±1.8 pts | 1.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 96.8%±2.2 pts | 92.7% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±2.6 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±2.6 pts | 0.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2%±0.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±2.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.9%±1.1 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±2.6 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.4%±2.5 pts | 3.5% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.6%±2.4 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 12.5%±4.1 pts | 8.9% | – |
| With a disability | 19.4%±7.8 pts | 17.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.0%±1.3 pts | 4.4% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 89.9%±5.6 pts | 92.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 13.6%±4.6 pts | 30.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.8%±2.3 pts | 12.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 84.9%±5.6 pts | 88.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 7.3%±3.1 pts | 3.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Charleston earn?
Half of Charleston's 464 households earn less than $49,286 a year (±$16,836), against $70,103 in Orleans County and $81,203 in Vermont. In 2015-2019 it was $58,971 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 12.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Charleston | Orleans County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $49,286±$16,836 | $70,103 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $72,827±$12,929 | $91,659 | – |
| Per capita income | $36,121±$4,616 | $40,041 | +$7,329 |
| People below the poverty line | 12.3%±5.9 pts | 11.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 43.8%±30.0 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.0%±4.9 pts | 14.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 89.7%±6.5 pts | 93.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 89.9%±5.7 pts | 89.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Charleston?
Owners occupy 87.1% of Charleston's occupied homes and renters 12.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $238,000 by its owner (±$52,881). The median renter pays $979 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Charleston | Orleans County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $238,000±$52,881 | $223,400 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $979±$444 | $892 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 22.4%±22.1 pts | 35.2% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,210±$245 | $1,654 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 87.1%±6.1 pts | 79.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 12.9%±6.1 pts | 20.3% | – |
| Housing units | 617±119 | 16,751 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±6.0 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±29.5 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 88.8%±5.3 pts | 76.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 7.5%±4.9 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0%±4.0 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.2%±2.0 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 18.3%±9.2 pts | 23.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.2%±2.9 pts | 6.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Charleston work and get to work?
75.9% of Charleston's workers drive alone and 18.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 26.4 minutes.
| Measure | Charleston | Orleans County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 57.2%±9.0 pts | 61.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.1%±1.8 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 75.9%±7.3 pts | 73.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 2.8%±3.3 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±5.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 2.6%±2.5 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 18.7%±6.6 pts | 12.5% | +13.1 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 26.4 min±6.4 | 29.0 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Charleston?
No census tract lies mostly in Charleston; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9511Orleans County | 2,553 | $60,117 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Charleston) · Census block assignment files
How does Charleston compare with other places in Vermont?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Charleston is the 7,732nd-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 158th-most populous of 237 in Vermont.
Charleston ranks 194th of 198 places in Vermont with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 158th | 237 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 168th | 173 |
| Residents per square mile | 187th | 202 |
| Median household income | 194th | 198 |
| Per capita income | 162nd | 202 |
| Median home value | 140th | 201 |
| Median gross rent | 141st | 187 |
| Poverty rate | 54th | 162 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 200th | 200 |
| Median age | 2nd | 202 |
| Owner-occupied share | 48th | 201 |
| Work from home | 61st | 185 |
| Travel time to work | 77th | 202 |
Charleston's figures with every place in Vermont (CSV)
Every place in Vermont, sortable · Compare Charleston with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Charleston?
17 of the 57 figures for Charleston on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Charleston are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.