Jobs, pay and daily life in Charles Town, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Charles Town is a city in West Virginia with 7,337 residents. The median household earns $89,263 a year and the median rent is $1,115 a month, which is 15.0% of the median household income. It is part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan area, where BLS counts 3,136,190 jobs.
How Charles Town compares. Among the 40 largest places in West Virginia, Charles Town is #21 by population, #40 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #2 for remote work (#1 = most), #37 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Jefferson County, is #9 of 55 counties for average pay ($61,812).
Charles Town has 7,337 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.4% of the population of West Virginia. It covers 6 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,251 people per square mile. The median age is 38.5, 10% younger than the state median (38.5 against 42.7).
The median gross rent is $1,115 a month (rent plus utilities), 28% above the state median ($1,115 against $872). Over a year that is 15.0% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $377,700, which is 4.2 times the median household income ($89,263). 74.5% of households own their home, about the same as the state average (74.5% against 74.9%).
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan area has 3,136,190 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $71,060 a year, 39% above the national median ($71,060 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are business and financial operations (369,190 jobs, median $105,260); management (319,760 jobs, median $165,010); office and administrative support (290,050 jobs, median $53,250). The area is most specialised in legal (2.6 times) and computer and mathematical (2.2 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are legal ($175,070) and management ($165,010). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Jefferson County was 2.7%. 70.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Jefferson County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 65.9% drive alone, 0.5% use public transit, 1.2% walk, 20.7% work from home. 44.5% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 154% above the state average (44.5% against 17.5%). Remote work is more common than in the state as a whole, which widens the set of employers a resident can work for without moving.
36.1% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 50% above the state share (36.1% against 24.1%). 10.9% of residents were born outside the United States, 498% above the state share (10.9% against 1.8%). The poverty rate is 6.5%, 61% below the state rate (6.5% against 16.7%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 76°F (24.6°C), and the coolest is Jan at 29°F (-1.8°C). About 1,054 mm (41 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (118 mm) and Jan the driest (64 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Ranson corporation (3 miles, rent 38% higher); Martinsburg (14 miles, rent 3% higher); Winchester (17 miles, rent 18% higher); Leesburg (20 miles, rent 89% higher). Rent differences are against Charles Town; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in West Virginia (239) →State guide: West VirginiaCountry guideJefferson CountyWest Virginia rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 239 federal postings open in West Virginia (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in West Virginia →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 112,530 | 1.59 | $156,460 | $67,600 | $291,420 | +48% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 76,600 | 3.49 | $104,770 | $59,010 | $184,020 | +26% |
| Software Developers | 69,060 | 2.03 | $154,930 | $96,450 | $213,660 | +14% |
| Retail Salespersons | 66,920 | 0.85 | $36,610 | $30,640 | $47,800 | +3% |
| Management Analysts | 62,360 | 3.44 | $126,830 | $78,970 | $181,280 | +25% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 60,560 | 0.78 | $34,600 | $30,460 | $42,490 | +11% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 59,090 | 1.33 | $37,840 | $31,720 | $48,780 | +3% |
| Cashiers | 50,600 | 0.81 | $35,470 | $30,330 | $44,710 | +8% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 50,450 | 0.58 | $38,530 | $30,670 | $46,080 | +8% |
| Lawyers | 46,840 | 3.08 | $195,190 | $106,520 | $382,890 | +22% |
| Registered Nurses | 46,830 | 0.69 | $102,710 | $80,750 | $132,900 | +5% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 46,160 | 1.01 | $46,040 | $31,880 | $81,060 | +31% |
| Managers, All Other | 42,010 | 3.35 | $170,980 | $128,610 | $221,230 | +20% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 41,470 | 1.42 | $102,140 | $67,530 | $170,980 | +22% |
| Security Guards | 40,950 | 1.58 | $46,830 | $36,530 | $78,790 | +23% |
| Office Clerks, General | 39,410 | 0.79 | $51,880 | $36,230 | $76,240 | +15% |
| Project Management Specialists | 38,230 | 1.78 | $127,030 | $74,110 | $192,450 | +24% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 37,010 | 1.08 | $53,660 | $37,890 | $79,660 | +13% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 36,750 | 0.70 | $46,220 | $35,640 | $73,150 | +3% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 35,340 | 0.62 | $37,870 | $31,280 | $50,050 | +1% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psychiatrists | 550 | 0.97 | $246,990 | $45,150 | $377,060 | -12% |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 770 | 1.17 | ≥ $239,200 | ≥ $239,200 | ≥ $239,200 | n/a |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 1,470 | 0.68 | $225,140 | $125,150 | $329,200 | -8% |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 1,370 | 1.01 | $223,250 | $60,580 | $423,610 | -13% |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 5,100 | 2.44 | $209,750 | $94,790 | $358,480 | -10% |
| Physicians, All Other | 10,650 | 1.54 | $208,710 | $77,430 | $402,900 | -22% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 20,800 | 1.54 | $195,190 | $133,100 | $295,960 | +11% |
| Lawyers | 46,840 | 3.08 | $195,190 | $106,520 | $382,890 | +22% |
| Public Relations Managers | 9,470 | 6.27 | $195,190 | $117,350 | $340,440 | +33% |
| Financial Managers | 26,430 | 1.56 | $185,270 | $122,670 | $327,470 | +11% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 5,500 | 1.24 | $185,220 | $138,180 | $259,680 | +8% |
| Dentists, General | 3,040 | 1.21 | $184,540 | $105,610 | $324,370 | +8% |
| Marketing Managers | 8,900 | 1.12 | $181,260 | $106,860 | $296,500 | +9% |
| Human Resources Managers | 6,280 | 1.41 | $177,960 | $111,720 | $282,330 | +19% |
| Sales Managers | 8,780 | 0.68 | $175,820 | $83,560 | $306,700 | +19% |
| Air Traffic Controllers | 1,800 | 3.96 | $174,870 | $47,760 | $225,680 | +18% |
| Pediatricians, General | 550 | 0.69 | $172,520 | $79,240 | $354,030 | -18% |
| Purchasing Managers | 4,180 | 2.46 | $172,150 | $132,890 | $217,790 | +16% |
| Compensation and Benefits Managers | 590 | 1.27 | $171,950 | $116,580 | $281,000 | +15% |
| Physicists | 1,520 | 3.69 | $171,580 | $98,950 | $225,680 | -0% |
These figures are for the whole Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $71,060 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.7% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 13.8% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 13.2% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 11.6% |
| Public administration | 9.9% |
| Manufacturing | 9.2% |
| Retail trade | 5.2% |
| Other services | 4.9% |
| Construction | 4.1% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.3% |
| Information | 2.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Charles Town lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 59,260 | $3,037 million | $51,249 | 17,087 | 2,314 | $61,812 | +5.5% | 2.7% | 31,451 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 3,216 | 25.6% | $30,210 | 2.07 |
| Retail trade | 1,972 | 15.7% | $32,561 | 1.16 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,595 | 12.7% | $72,702 | 0.65 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,087 | 8.6% | $93,090 | 0.91 |
| Educational services | 678 | 5.4% | $54,751 | 1.92 |
| Administrative and waste services | 638 | 5.1% | $62,569 | 0.63 |
| Manufacturing | 615 | 4.9% | $58,320 | 0.44 |
| Construction | 557 | 4.4% | $66,813 | 0.62 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 525 | 4.2% | $48,890 | 1.02 |
| Wholesale trade | 465 | 3.7% | $71,164 | 0.69 |
| Finance and insurance | 446 | 3.5% | $82,191 | 0.64 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 320 | 2.5% | $28,502 | 1.11 |
| Real estate and rental | 208 | 1.7% | $55,073 | 0.78 |
| Information | 168 | 1.3% | $105,030 | 0.52 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 39 | 0.3% | $75,023 | 0.05 |
| Utilities | 29 | 0.2% | $90,362 | 0.45 |
| Management of companies | 22 | 0.2% | $114,011 | 0.08 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 65.9% |
| Public transit | 0.5% |
| Walk | 1.2% |
| Work from home | 20.7% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 44.5% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $89,263 |
| Income per person | $44,136 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,115 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 15.0% |
| Median home value | $377,700 |
| Homeowners | 74.5% |
| Poverty rate | 6.5% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 108.9 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $71,060 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 4.82%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 38.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 89.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 36.1% |
| Born abroad | 10.9% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 70.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -1.8 | 29 | 64 |
| Feb | -0.6 | 31 | 64 |
| Mar | 4.4 | 40 | 78 |
| Apr | 11.0 | 52 | 90 |
| May | 16.8 | 62 | 118 |
| Jun | 21.7 | 71 | 106 |
| Jul | 24.6 | 76 | 102 |
| Aug | 23.9 | 75 | 87 |
| Sep | 19.8 | 68 | 104 |
| Oct | 12.6 | 55 | 88 |
| Nov | 5.9 | 43 | 71 |
| Dec | 0.6 | 33 | 82 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranson corporation | WV | 3 mi | 5,729 | $89,523 | $1,536 |
| Martinsburg | WV | 14 mi | 18,904 | $59,555 | $1,150 |
| Winchester | VA | 17 mi | 27,913 | $63,974 | $1,315 |
| Leesburg | VA | 20 mi | 49,171 | $145,205 | $2,105 |
| Ballenger Creek | MD | 26 mi | 26,390 | $108,944 | $1,987 |
| Broadlands | VA | 26 mi | 14,353 | $241,042 | $2,694 |
| Brambleton | VA | 27 mi | 24,537 | $238,018 | $2,479 |
| Hagerstown | MD | 27 mi | 43,665 | $52,221 | $1,114 |
| Ashburn | VA | 27 mi | 46,026 | $154,978 | $2,455 |
| Frederick | MD | 28 mi | 83,395 | $97,069 | $1,764 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
7,337 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,115 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 15.0% of the median household income.
$89,263 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.7% (BLS county, Jefferson County (latest month 2026M09)).
West Virginia. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.