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Charleston, WV housing market

Charleston, WV metro median sale price $197K in Jul–Sep 2026, up 8.4% year over year. Also days on market, price cuts, affordability and ZIP-code figures.

The median sale price in the Charleston, WV metro is $197K over Jul–Sep 2026, up 8.4% from the same 3 months a year earlier. That is the 27th-largest year-over-year gain of the 383 U.S. metros Pecan Street ranks on this measure. FHFA's repeat-sales index for the metro shows a larger change, up 10.5% through Q2 2026, 2.1 points apart; Price reconciliation below shows both.

On median sale price, Charleston ($197K) ranks 3rd of the seven West Virginia metros Pecan Street tracks, between Huntington ($197K) and Parkersburg ($188K). Charleston has the fewest median days on market of the seven West Virginia metros (49 days); Huntington (56 days) is next. Charleston has the lowest share of listings with a price cut of the seven West Virginia metros (28%); Beckley (32%) is next.

Listings spent a median 49 days on market in Sep 2026, fewer than in most of the 385 metros. 28% of active listings carry a price cut; the 3-month average vs a year earlier is 1.1 points higher. That share is lower than in most of the 385 metros. Median asking prices sit about 4% below the median sale price. Building permits authorized 8 new housing units in Sep 2026.

At the 7.12% 30-year fixed rate with 20% down, principal and interest on a median-priced home come to $1,058 a month; at 28% of gross income, that takes about $45K a year. The median sale price equals about 12 years of HUD Fair Market Rent, a ratio up 8.5% from a year earlier. That ratio is the 31st-lowest of the 373 metros. Active listings ask a median $113 per square foot; the 3-month average vs a year earlier is up 3.7%.

In three of the five ZIP codes in the table below, median list prices are higher than a year earlier; two are lower.

Headline

Median sale price

Jul–Sep 2026

$197K

+8.4% year-over-year

How it’s calculated

Average of the last three monthly median sale prices vs. the same three months a year earlier.

Mortgage rate

Nov 4, 2026

7.12%

30-year fixed

Where it comes from

National benchmark: Optimal Blue OBMMI 30-year conforming, via FRED. An average of rates borrowers have actually locked, updated daily.

The same rate appears on every market page.

Monthly payment

Principal & interest

$1,058/mo

$45K/yr income needed

How it’s calculated

Payment — this market’s median sale price with 20% down, on a 30-year fixed loan at the rate shown. Principal and interest only — no property tax, insurance, PMI or HOA.

Income needed — that payment at 28% of gross income. A rule of thumb, not a lending decision.

How Charleston compares to other U.S. metros

Home-price growth↑27th of 383 (top 8%)
Price-to-rent↓343rd of 373
Asking-vs-sale gap↓261st of 291
Price cuts↓332nd of 385
Days on market↓278th of 385

Rank across the U.S. metros Pecan Street tracks, on market data alone — a higher rank means more of that measure (more price cuts, faster price growth, a wider asking-vs-sale gap, a higher price-to-rent ratio, or more days on market). The bar shows where this metro sits within that metric’s own cohort (left is more, right is less); ↑ and ↓ mark the positions furthest from the middle, and rows are ordered the same way. Metrics without data for this metro are omitted.

Affordability

Price-to-rent ratio≈ 12 +8.5% YoY
↓343rd of 373
Asking price / sq ft$113 +3.7% 3-month average vs a year earlier

Price-to-rent divides the median sale price by the annual HUD Fair Market Rent (a 3-bedroom, 40th-percentile benchmark), so it is a directional rent-vs-buy read, not a cap rate; its year-over-year change is directional in the same way. Asking price per square foot is the median across active for-sale listings (Realtor.com), as of Sep 2026. The bar under a figure places this metro among the U.S. metros we track on that measure, highest first.

Market pressure

Listings with a price cut≈ 28% +1.1 pts 3-month average vs a year earlier
↓332nd of 385
New housing units permitted8

The median asking price $189K runs about 4% below the median sale price $197K.

Price-cut share is the portion of active for-sale listings that have taken a price reduction (Realtor.com), as of Sep 2026. New housing units authorized by residential building permits in the metro that month — new supply in the pipeline, which counts of existing listings don't capture (US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey), as of Sep 2026. Asking is the median list price of active listings (Realtor.com, Sep 2026); sale is the headline median of recent closings (Redfin, Jul–Sep 2026) — distinct sources and windows, so the gap is a directional read, not a like-for-like difference. The bar under a figure places this metro among the U.S. metros we track on that measure, highest first.

Market facts

ZIPs with listing data5 shown of 135
MLS board of record—
Price methodologyRedfin vs FHFA HPI
Sale-price windowJul–Sep 2026

Recent signals

No signals flagged for this market right now.

Recent notable readings

Readings from the latest data that sit at one end of the U.S. metros Pecan Street tracks, from the nightly cross-metro comparison. They are not signal alerts.

Housing Economy

Charleston · ConstructionCOPIED

Charleston builders pulled 31.6% fewer single-family permits than a year earlier

Single-family building permits in the Charleston metro area, by month, one line per year, units

AprJulOct0816243220252026
AprJulOct0816243220252026
2024
Chart data
Month202420252026
Dec124—
Nov135—
Oct195—
Sep678
Aug4610
Jul599
Jun6711
May12129
Apr8710
Mar29179
Feb10148
Jan13135

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey · data through September 2026

Builders in the Charleston metro area pulled 93 single-family permits in the twelve months through September 2026, 31.6% fewer than in the twelve months before. So far in 2026, permits are running 14.1% below the same months of 2025.

Why it matters. Permits come before starts, and starts come before new homes for sale, so this is the earliest read on how much new building is planned in the Charleston area. When the permit pipeline shrinks, buyers see fewer new-build options later; when it grows, sellers of existing homes face more competition from builders.

Charleston · Home pricesCOPIED

Charleston home prices are 10.5% higher than a year ago, the strongest gain since the second quarter of 2022

Home prices in the Charleston metro area, change from a year earlier, FHFA all-transactions index, quarterly, percent; shaded bars mark recessions

1990200020102020-6%0%6%12%18%Charleston
1990200020102020-6%0%6%12%18%Charleston
No changeRecession
Chart data
DateCharleston
Jun 202610.5%
Mar 20265.9%
Dec 20252.7%
Sep 20252.8%
Jun 20252.1%
Mar 202510.2%
Dec 20248.2%
Sep 202410.1%
Jun 202410.3%
Mar 20240.9%
Dec 20237.8%
Sep 20233.6%
Jun 20230.1%
Mar 20239.1%
Dec 20222.6%
Sep 20225.8%
Jun 202212.5%
Mar 20228.1%
Dec 202111.9%
Sep 202110.2%
Jun 20217.9%
Mar 20216.1%
Dec 20204.3%
Sep 20203.8%
Jun 20204.1%
Mar 20203.7%
Dec 2019-0.8%
Sep 20193%
Jun 2019-1.4%
Mar 2019-1.5%
Dec 20181.3%
Sep 20180%
Jun 20180.3%
Mar 20184%
Dec 20171.8%
Sep 2017-2.1%
Jun 2017-0.4%
Mar 2017-1%
Dec 20160.3%
Sep 20163.4%
Jun 2016-0.5%
Mar 2016-2.1%
Dec 20150.7%
Sep 2015-1.9%
Jun 20154.3%
Mar 20152.1%
Dec 20142.1%
Sep 20142%
Jun 20140.4%
Mar 20140.5%
Dec 20130.2%
Sep 20132.3%
Jun 2013-1.2%
Mar 20133.2%
Dec 20121.5%
Sep 20120.8%
Jun 20124%
Mar 2012-1.1%
Dec 2011-0.9%
Sep 2011-2.3%
Jun 20110.7%
Mar 20110.9%
Dec 20101.4%
Sep 20102%
Jun 2010-3.4%
Mar 2010-2%
Dec 2009-1.7%
Sep 2009-0.3%
Jun 20090.8%
Mar 20092.4%
Dec 20081.5%
Sep 20082%
Jun 20084.4%
Mar 20082.8%
Dec 20072.9%
Sep 20074.3%
Jun 20071.3%
Mar 20071.9%
Dec 20064.6%
Sep 20060.7%
Jun 20064.1%
Mar 20064.8%
Dec 20053.7%
Sep 20054.5%
Jun 20054%
Mar 20053.7%
Dec 20043.1%
Sep 20043.3%
Jun 20042.3%
Mar 20042.8%
Dec 20032%
Sep 20033.1%
Jun 20033.8%
Mar 20033.4%
Dec 20023.5%
Sep 20022.8%
Jun 20021.8%
Mar 20020.7%
Dec 20014.2%
Sep 20014.1%
Jun 20015.1%
Mar 20014.7%
Dec 20003.8%
Sep 20002.5%
Jun 20001.1%
Mar 2000-0.1%
Dec 1999-1.4%
Sep 19990.1%
Jun 19992.6%
Mar 19995.3%
Dec 19985.2%
Sep 19985.2%
Jun 19983%
Mar 19985.3%
Dec 19973.9%
Sep 19973.9%
Jun 19974.4%
Mar 19972.3%
Dec 19964.7%
Sep 19963.9%
Jun 19963.7%
Mar 19967.2%
Dec 19955%
Sep 19957%
Jun 19959.3%
Mar 19954.4%
Dec 19947.3%
Sep 19945.2%
Jun 19944.6%
Mar 19947.5%
Dec 19934.5%
Sep 19935.8%
Jun 19936.8%
Mar 19934.4%
Dec 19924.7%
Sep 19923.8%
Jun 19923.1%
Mar 19922.6%
Dec 19917.2%
Sep 19913.1%
Jun 19915.2%
Mar 19918%
Dec 1990-1.4%
Sep 19900.9%
Jun 19902.3%
Mar 1990-2.9%
Dec 19892.8%
Sep 19892.5%
Jun 1989-5.4%
Mar 19893.9%
Dec 1988-2.8%
Sep 19883%
Jun 19882.8%
Mar 1988-0.9%
Dec 19873.1%
Sep 19870.8%
Jun 19872.9%

Source: FHFA house price index; recession dates from NBER · data through Q2 2026

FHFA's all-transactions index for the Charleston metro area in the second quarter of 2026 was 10.5% above its level a year earlier. Since 1987, prices have risen an average of 3.0% a year. That is the strongest reading since the second quarter of 2022. Nationally, prices were 3.0% higher than a year earlier.

Why it matters. Long-run context shows how the latest change in Charleston home prices compares with the market's own history, including the recessions shaded on the chart. When appreciation slows, sellers have less room for a list price to run ahead of recent sales, and buyers feel less pressure to stretch to keep up; when it speeds up, the reverse holds: list prices can run ahead of recent sales and buyers compete harder.

Price reconciliation

amber · 2.1pp

Redfin (metro)

+8.4%

FHFA HPI · Q2 2026

+10.5%

Year-over-year home-price change from two independent methods — Redfin (sale prices over the last 3 months) and FHFA (quarterly repeat-sales index). When they diverge, the market is mid-shift; cite the figure with that in mind.

Market dispatches

Citable market dispatches for Charleston → Latest dispatch: Jul 24, 2026.

More markets in WV

BeckleyHuntingtonMorgantownParkersburgWeirtonWheeling

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ZIP-level data

ZIPMedian list priceActive listingsNew listingsPrice reductionsDays on marketHome value
25177$163K↑46↑24↓16↓52↑$151K↓
25302$135K↑38↓16↓16↑61↑$107K↑
25304$250K↓34↑8↑16↑68↓$208K↑
25314$250K↓51↑20↑20↑68↑$258K↑
25526$379K↑34↓24↑8↓24↑$278K↑

ZIP figures from Realtor.com listing data; home value from Zillow ZHVI. ZIP codes shown have the most complete listing-data history and active for-sale inventory in this metro; the latest available month is shown per ZIP. Arrows show the direction of each figure against the same three months a year earlier; no arrow means the change rounds to zero or the comparison isn't available.