Charleston WV vs Fort Lauderdale FL — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026
Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)
Charleston, WV
West Virginia · Population: 47,918
- Median HH Income$64,512
- Median Home Price$164,532
- Unemployment6.3%
- Bachelor's+44.1%
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Florida · Population: 183,032
- Median HH Income$79,935
- Median Home Price$510,297
- Unemployment5.3%
- Bachelor's+39.8%
Detailed Comparison
Demographics
Population
Charleston
47,918
Fort Lauderdale
183,032
Fort Lauderdale +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Charleston
N/A
Fort Lauderdale
N/A
Median Age
Charleston
42.6
Charleston +
Fort Lauderdale
42.9
Foreign Born
Charleston
3.9%
Fort Lauderdale
26.7%
Fort Lauderdale +
White
Charleston
76.6%
Charleston +
Fort Lauderdale
51.3%
Black
Charleston
11.8%
Fort Lauderdale
28.8%
Fort Lauderdale +
Asian
Charleston
2.7%
Charleston +
Fort Lauderdale
1.6%
Hispanic
Charleston
1.9%
Fort Lauderdale
20.1%
Fort Lauderdale +
Spanish at Home
Charleston
N/A
Fort Lauderdale
N/A
| Metric | Charleston, WV | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 47,918 | 183,032 | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Pop. Density / sq miLower = more space | N/A | N/A | - |
| Median Age | 42.6 | 42.9 | Charleston + |
| Foreign Born | 3.9% | 26.7% | Fort Lauderdale + |
| White | 76.6% | 51.3% | Charleston + |
| Black | 11.8% | 28.8% | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Asian | 2.7% | 1.6% | Charleston + |
| Hispanic | 1.9% | 20.1% | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Spanish at Home | N/A | N/A | - |
Economy
Median HH Income
Charleston
$64,512
Fort Lauderdale
$79,935
Fort Lauderdale +
Per Capita Income
Charleston
$45,967
Fort Lauderdale
$57,845
Fort Lauderdale +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Charleston
$50,163
Fort Lauderdale
$65,328
Fort Lauderdale +
Unemployment Rate
Charleston
6.3%
Fort Lauderdale
5.3%
Fort Lauderdale +
Poverty Rate
Charleston
16.5%
Fort Lauderdale
15.2%
Fort Lauderdale +
Bachelor's Degree+
Charleston
44.1%
Charleston +
Fort Lauderdale
39.8%
| Metric | Charleston, WV | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median HH Income | $64,512 | $79,935 | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Per Capita Income | $45,967 | $57,845 | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)BEA MSA-level | $50,163 | $65,328 | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.3% | 5.3% | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Poverty Rate | 16.5% | 15.2% | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Bachelor's Degree+ | 44.1% | 39.8% | Charleston + |
Housing
Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Charleston
$164,532
Charleston +
Fort Lauderdale
$510,297
Homeownership Rate
Charleston
62.7%
Charleston +
Fort Lauderdale
53.8%
| Metric | Charleston, WV | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home ValueZillow ZHVI / Census ACS | $164,532 | $510,297 | Charleston + |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.7% | 53.8% | Charleston + |
Safety
Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Charleston
398
Fort Lauderdale
324
Fort Lauderdale +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Charleston
1999
Fort Lauderdale
1453
Fort Lauderdale +
| Metric | Charleston, WV | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime / 100KFBI CDE (state-level est.) | 398 | 324 | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Property Crime / 100KFBI CDE (state-level est.) | 1999 | 1453 | Fort Lauderdale + |
Health
Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Charleston
40.2%
Fort Lauderdale
30.3%
Fort Lauderdale +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Charleston
15.6%
Fort Lauderdale
12.8%
Fort Lauderdale +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Charleston
20.2%
Fort Lauderdale
16.2%
Fort Lauderdale +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Charleston
7.4%
Charleston +
Fort Lauderdale
14.7%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Charleston
14.3%
Charleston +
Fort Lauderdale
14.9%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Charleston
17.7%
Fort Lauderdale
13.0%
Fort Lauderdale +
| Metric | Charleston, WV | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity RateCDC PLACES | 40.2% | 30.3% | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Diabetes RateCDC PLACES | 15.6% | 12.8% | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Poor Mental HealthCDC PLACES — 14+ days/month | 20.2% | 16.2% | Fort Lauderdale + |
| No Health InsuranceCDC PLACES | 7.4% | 14.7% | Charleston + |
| Binge DrinkingCDC PLACES | 14.3% | 14.9% | Charleston + |
| Current SmokersCDC PLACES | 17.7% | 13.0% | Fort Lauderdale + |
Climate
Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Charleston
53.9°F
Charleston +
Fort Lauderdale
75.5°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Charleston
46.2 in
Charleston +
Fort Lauderdale
66.5 in
| Metric | Charleston, WV | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Annual TempNOAA 1991–2020 normal | 53.9°F | 75.5°F | Charleston + |
| Annual PrecipitationNOAA 1991–2020 normal | 46.2 in | 66.5 in | Charleston + |
Air Quality
PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Charleston
9.3 µg/m³
Fort Lauderdale
7.2 µg/m³
Fort Lauderdale +
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Charleston
55.0%
Fort Lauderdale
75.0%
Fort Lauderdale +
| Metric | Charleston, WV | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 Annual AvgEPA AQS (state-level est.) | 9.3 µg/m³ | 7.2 µg/m³ | Fort Lauderdale + |
| Good Air DaysAQI ≤ 50 | 55.0% | 75.0% | Fort Lauderdale + |
Commute
Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Charleston
19.2 min
Charleston +
Fort Lauderdale
28.5 min
| Metric | Charleston, WV | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean Commute TimeCensus ACS | 19.2 min | 28.5 min | Charleston + |
Which City is Right for You?
Fort Lauderdale leads in median household income at $79,935, while charleston offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $164,532. On public safety, Fort Lauderdale is safer with a violent crime rate of 324 per 100,000 residents, compared to 398 in Charleston. Fort Lauderdale has a lower unemployment rate at 5.3%, and Fort Lauderdale has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Fort Lauderdale scores better with a lower obesity rate of 30.3%.
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