Town Hall · Charleston

Charleston, WV town hall & government

Charleston spent $182.6 million in the year to June 30, 2024, about $3,874 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Charleston's government.

Local leadership

Who runs Charleston

From public records (Open States and Wikidata), which can lag behind an election. If a name is out of date, tell us: when two neighbors agree, it's hidden until the records catch up.

Meetings

Coming up at Charleston's town hall

Recent meetings

Official listings from Charleston's agenda portal ↗, checked daily. Times are local. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check the portal before you go.

Town budget

Where Charleston's money goes

Spent
$182.6 million
fiscal year to June 30, 2024
Per resident
$3,874
typical West Virginia cities: $2,159
Long-term debt
$60.7 million
$1,289 per resident
Parks & libraries
$36 million20%
Police
$33.7 million18%
Fire
$31.1 million17%
Sewer & trash
$24.8 million14%
Administration & buildings
$23.7 million13%
Roads & transportation
$17 million9%
Housing & development
$6.9 million4%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$3 million2%
Interest on debt
$2.2 million1%
Health & welfare
$1.2 million1%
Other
$3 million2%

Where the money comes from

  • Fees & charges 32%
  • Other taxes & licenses 29%
  • Sales taxes 14%
  • Property taxes 9%
  • Interest, fines & other 5%
  • From the federal government 5%
  • From the state 5%
  • From other local governments <1%
Town workforce

Who works for Charleston

Full-time staff
726
46 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$59,700
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
156
and 158 full-time firefighters
Police
179 full-time4 part
Fire
163 full-time
Administration & buildings
79 full-time29 part
Roads & transportation
82 full-time
Parks & libraries
75 full-time8 part
Sewer & trash
65 full-time
Courts, inspections & corrections
14 full-time
Housing & development
10 full-time2 part
Health & welfare
8 full-time
Other
51 full-time3 part

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2025. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Kanawha County School District

Charleston's K–12 school district, shared with Belle, Cedar Grove, Chesapeake, Clendenin, Dunbar and East Bank. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$14,492
West Virginia: $15,637
Students
23,433
in the whole district
Long-term debt
None
at year end

Where the district's money comes from West Virginia districts overall: 36% local, 46% state, 18% federal

  • Local 34%
  • State 47%
  • Federal 19%

Of the $14,492 per pupil, $8,519 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Property tax

What homeowners in Charleston pay

Typical tax bill
$1,447
a year · West Virginia typical $865
Effective rate
0.71%
of home value · West Virginia 0.53%
Typical home value
$203,300
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Local

Contact Charleston's government

🏛️ Official websitecharlestonwv.gov ↗

Town hall & decisions in Charleston →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Charleston

Charleston is represented in Congress by Senators Shelley Moore Capito and James C. Justice and Representative Carol D. Miller. Patrick Morrisey is governor.

All of Charleston's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01