Photo: Daniel G Rego · CC BY-SA 4.0Within West Virginia, Charleston is healthier than 58% of graded towns
Charleston differs from West Virginia on 5 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 4 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Charleston. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Charleston
What’s behind Charleston’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Charleston is healthier than 14% of U.S. towns, #26 of 61 in West Virginia. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 26% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 8%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Charleston’s median household income is $65,812; among the 10,063 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($49K–$82K), it’s healthier than 13%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Out of every 100 Charleston adults…
Charleston runs below WV on 2 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Charleston
2 hospitals and 3 community health centers in Charleston, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Charleston; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with West Virginia
Share of adults, with the West Virginia figure marked.
12 miles of trails across 26 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Charleston adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks West Virginia.
How Charleston adults are doing
About the same as West Virginia on each measure.
1 in 3 Charleston adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
19% of Charleston adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 17.8% across West Virginia.
Charleston and the towns around it
Charleston has the best Health Grade of the 3 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | D | 40.2% | 15.6% | 17.7% | CDC place |
| South Charleston | D | 40.9% | 15.8% | 19% | CDC place |
| Malden | — | — | — | — | |
| Dunbar | D | 41.4% | 16.5% | 18.6% | CDC place |
Malden: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Charleston adults live with a disability (West Virginia 39.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Charleston
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Charleston is better than West Virginia on 4 and worse on 1; on the rest, the West Virginia figure falls inside Charleston’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Charleston | WV | U.S. | vs WV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 23.2%20.7–25.7 | 25.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.7%13.9–17.4 | 17.3% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 20.2%18–22.4 | 21.1% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.2%35.1–45 | 40.6% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.6%13.7–17.5 | 15.9% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 45.4%41.7–48.9 | 44% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 42.5%38.6–46.1 | 42.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 35.8%32.6–38.9 | 37.7% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 12%10.5–13.5 | 12.2% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 9.3%8.4–10.2 | 9.6% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 8%7.2–8.9 | 8.7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 9.1%8.2–10.1 | 10.6% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 4.1%3.7–4.4 | 4.2% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 16%13.6–18.6 | 19.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 17.7%15.5–19.8 | 19.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 30.6%26.8–34.2 | 32.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.3%11.8–16.8 | 14.1% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.8%35.9–43.9 | 40.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.4%6.3–8.6 | 8.5% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.3%79.3–85 | 81% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61%58–64 | 55.5% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88.5%86.9–90 | 86.8% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 79.3%76.7–81.8 | 79.5% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 70.1%66.5–73.6 | 66.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.2%71.8–82.1 | 76.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 29.2%25.7–32.7 | 30.4% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.4%29.8–37.2 | 33.8% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.9%21.1–26.9 | 23% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 18%16–20.1 | 16.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 14%12.4–15.7 | 12.4% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.9%11.6–14.4 | 11% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9.2%8.3–10.3 | 8.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 19%17.1–21.1 | 17.8% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 37.4%33.6–41.1 | 39.2% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 17.9%15.9–19.8 | 18.7% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 17.3%15.4–19.2 | 18.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.9%7–8.9 | 9% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 5.7%5.2–6.2 | 5.7% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.5%9.4–11.5 | 10.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.6%4.2–5 | 4.6% | 3.8% | About the same |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the West Virginia figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Charleston
Is Charleston a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Charleston is healthier than 14% of U.S. towns: D for health, #26 of 61 in West Virginia. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 13%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Charleston?
CDC estimates 40.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 35.1% and 45%, against 40.6% across West Virginia and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Charleston?
Charleston Area Medical Center in Charleston, 0.4 miles in a straight line from Charleston’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Charleston have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.3–8.6%), against 8.5% across West Virginia.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Charleston more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Charleston.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The West Virginia figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.