Charles Town, WV

This city of 9,750 residents needs 788 more housing units over the next five years. Charles Town is part of the Hagerstown-Eastern Panhandle MPO.

Housing snapshot

Population
9,750 (2026)
Households
3,140
Median household income
$100,453 (2026)
Typical home value
$414,946
Owner-occupied
69%
Five-year housing need
788 units

Comparison to other West Virginia municipalities

Charles Town: $100,453 Median income (2026 estimate)
<$22K >$104K
Charles Town: 1.08 jobs to household ratio
<0.05 >3.02
Charles Town: Permits since 2021 represent 53.4% of housing
<0.1% >2.7%
On this page

How affordable is this community?

The typical home in Charles Town, WV is valued at $414,946, well above the West Virginia average of $141,012. Charles Town, WV's median household income of $100,453 puts the typical home within reach for most households.

This chart tracks whether housing prices are keeping pace with local incomes. The gap between what homes cost and what households can afford reveals affordability trends over time.

How is the population changing?

Charles Town, WV has a population of roughly 7,337 and is one of the faster-growing communities in its state, adding residents at 3.9% per year.

Population growth patterns reveal how communities are evolving. This chart shows historical population changes by age group and projects future trends based on demographic patterns.

How has employment changed over time?

Jobs by industry sector since 2012. Switch between local jobs — counted where the jobs are located — and resident jobs, counted where the workers live. On the local view the most recent year is a nowcast: it grows the latest local LODES job mix forward using recent county employment growth from QCEW and the BLS local employment series, so the newest point tracks today's economy instead of data that is roughly two years old.

How are households changing by income?

Charles Town, WV is one of the faster-growing communities in West Virginia, adding households at 3.9% per year and totaling roughly 3,140 households.

Understanding how households at different income levels are growing or declining helps identify which groups face the greatest housing pressure and where new housing is most needed.

Who lives here today?

In Charles Town, WV, detached single-family accounts for 69% of the housing stock. Homeownership is the norm in Charles Town, WV, with 69% of units owner-occupied.

Households may have different structure type preferences depending on characteristics such as household size, income, employment, presence of children, age of individuals, and lifestyle choices. Understanding the housing stock in corresponding terms helps assess how well existing units align with existing households' ideals.

What does the housing stock look like?

The mix of housing types and ownership patterns shapes a community's character. This chart breaks down housing units by structure type and whether they're owner-occupied or rented.

How much new housing supply is needed?

To keep up with growth and fill current housing shortages, Charles Town, WV needs 788 new units over the next 5 years.

710
Units needed to keep up with expected growth
Projected total household growth from 2026 to 2031.
22.6%
Projected household growth rate
Expected increase in total households from 3,140 in 2026 to 3,850 in 2031.
78
Units to address shortages in existing housing stock
Production needs to address vacancy rates and other factors.
20
Replacement housing
Effective annual loss rate is 1.3 per 1,000 units.
32
Ownership vacancy adjustment
Owner-occupied vacancy is 0.0%. This is below the minimum stable target of 1.5%.
26
Rental vacancy adjustment
Rental vacancy is 4.5%. This is below the minimum stable target of 7.4%.
788
Total 5-year housing production need (2026-2031)
158
Annual production pace
Average units needed per year to meet 5-year need
26.0%
Total housing unit growth
Percent increase in housing stock over 5 years
5.2%
Annual housing unit growth
Average percent increase in housing stock per year

How does this place compare to similar communities?