Charleston, West Virginia Crime Rate
5 years of data (2020–2024) · Population: 46,252
Key Insights
- →Charleston has a safety grade of D with a violent crime rate of 542.7 per 100,000 residents (national avg: 359.1).
- →Violent crime dropped 10.7% from the previous year.
- →6 murders recorded in 2024 — a rate of 13.0 per 100K.
- →Crime trajectory: volatile — based on 5 years of data.
- →Safer than 10% of all cities in the OpenCrime database.
- →Violent-to-property crime ratio: 0.17 (near national average).
Violent Crime Rate
542.7
-10.7% YoY
Murder Rate
13.0
6 murders
Property Crime Rate
3119.9
1,443 total
vs National Avg
↑ 51%
National: 359.1
2024 Crime Breakdown
Violent Crime: 251
Murder6
Rape27
Robbery25
Aggravated Assault193
Property Crime: 1,443
Burglary303
Larceny-Theft1,055
Motor Vehicle Theft85
Arson13
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Year | Population | Violent Crime | Violent Rate | Murders | Property Crime | Property Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 46,252 | 251 | 542.7 | 6 | 1,443 | 3119.9 |
| 2023 | 46,390 | 282 | 607.9 | 6 | 1,752 | 3776.7 |
| 2022 | 47,350 | 302 | 637.8 | 10 | 1,943 | 4103.5 |
| 2021 | 45,378 | 287 | 632.5 | 9 | 1,608 | 3543.6 |
| 2020 | 46,038 | 424 | 921.0 | 11 | 2,122 | 4609.2 |
Crime Rate Trends
Murder Rate Trend
D
Safety Grade for Charleston
Based on violent crime rate of 542.7 per 100K (national avg: 359.1)
Safety Percentile
Safer than 10% of cities
Similar Cities
Cities with similar population and crime profile (in different states):
National Arrest Demographics
The FBI does not publish per-city arrest demographic breakdowns. At the national level, arrest data shows significant racial disparities influenced by policing patterns, poverty concentration, and systemic factors.
Related Analysis
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer, Table 8 — Offenses Known to Law Enforcement by State by City. Rates per 100,000 residents.