Rent by ZIP code in Charleston
| ZIP code | County | Typical rent | vs city median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25306 | Kanawha County | $1,495 | +43% |
| 25313 | Kanawha County | $1,094 | +5% |
| 25311 | Kanawha County | $995 | -5% |
| 25302 | Kanawha County | $865 | -17% |
Rent by bedroom count in Charleston
Zillow's index above blends every unit size into one number. For a bedroom level view, these are HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for Kanawha County. They include utilities and sit near the 40th percentile of the market, so treat them as the low side of what a typical unit lists for. Kanawha County uses Small Area FMRs, and the two bedroom figure runs from $1,050 to $1,450 depending on the Charleston ZIP code.
| Unit size | FY2027 Fair Market Rent | Change from FY2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $730 | +2.2% |
| 1 bedroom | $844 | +1.8% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,048 | +1.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,324 | -0.1% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,377 | +0.4% |
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents. Updates when HUD publishes a new fiscal year.
Is rent going up or down in Charleston?
Typical rent across Kanawha County is $1,248 as of August 2026. That is up 4.1% from a year earlier and up 28.3% over five years.
| Year | Typical rent, Kanawha County | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $962 | +3.0% |
| 2022 | $1,023 | +6.4% |
| 2023 | $1,079 | +5.5% |
| 2024 | $1,140 | +5.6% |
| 2025 | $1,221 | +7.1% |
| 2026 (through August) | $1,248 | +2.2% |
Zillow Observed Rent Index for the county, all home types, last published month of each year. Each row is compared with the end of the year before it.
Charleston rent questions
- What is the average rent in Charleston, WV?
- Typical asking rent in Charleston is $1,045 a month as of August 2026, across 4 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $865 to $1,495.
- How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Charleston?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Kanawha County is $1,048 a month including utilities. A one bedroom is $844 and a three bedroom is $1,324. Fair Market Rent is set near the 40th percentile, so a typical unit lists somewhat higher.
- Is rent going up or down in Charleston?
- Rent is rising. Typical rent in Kanawha County is $1,248 as of August 2026, up 4.1% from a year earlier.
- What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Charleston?
- ZIP 25302 has the lowest typical asking rent in Charleston at $865 a month, compared with $1,045 for the city overall.
- How much income do you need to rent in Charleston?
- Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Charleston rent of $1,045, that is about $3,135 a month, or $37,620 a year. This is a common screening rule of thumb, and individual landlords set their own.
How to use these numbers
These are Zillow Observed Rent Index values, a smoothed measure of typical asking rent for single family homes, condos, and apartments in each ZIP code. They describe what units are listed for, not what any specific unit will get. Condition, bedroom count, and the exact block all move the number.
If you are underwriting a purchase, use the ZIP figure rather than the city median, and then verify against live listings for the same bedroom count before you commit. Charleston sits in the Charleston, WV metro area.