Crime & Safety in Charleston, WV
Violent and property crime rates, clearance data, and trends — 2024 Data
Crime Overview
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024)Violent Crime Rate
5.45
per 1,000 residents
+22% vs national
Property Crime Rate
31.20
per 1,000 residents
+44% vs national
Total Crimes
1,695
2024
Violent Clearance
28%
cases solved
-34% vs national
Property Clearance
14%
cases solved
vs Similar Cities
+95%
vs 25K-50K avg
+95% vs 25K-50K
YoY Change
-10.4%
violent crime rate
improving vs 2023
How Charleston Compares
Source: FBI (2024)Charleston vs Similar Cities
Source: FBI (2024)Compared to cities with 25,000 - 50,000 residents. Charleston is highlighted in green.
Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000)
Property Crime Rate (per 1,000)
Murder Rate (per 1,000)
Violent Crime Clearance Rate
Crime Rate Trends
Source: FBICrime Composition
Source: FBI (2024)Violent Crime Breakdown
Property Crime Breakdown
Crime Clearance (Solve) Rates
Source: FBI (2024)Charleston police solve 35% of aggravated assault cases but only 2% of motor vehicle theft cases. The national violent crime clearance rate is 42%.
Weapon Used in Violent Crime
Source: FBI (2024)Crime Breakdown
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024)| Crime Type | Category | Count | Rate per 1K | Clearance % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murder | Violent | 6 | 0.13 | 16.7% |
| Rape | Violent | 27 | 0.58 | 3.7% |
| Robbery | Violent | 25 | 0.54 | 8.0% |
| Aggravated Assault | Violent | 193 | 4.17 | 34.7% |
| Burglary | Property | 303 | 6.55 | 8.9% |
| Larceny/Theft | Property | 1,055 | 22.81 | 16.8% |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | Property | 85 | 1.84 | 2.4% |
Charleston, WV reported 252 violent crimes and 1,443 property crimes in 2024. The violent crime rate of 5.45 per 1,000 residents is 21.6% above the national average of 4.48 per 1,000. Law enforcement cleared 28% of violent crimes. Larceny/theft accounts for 1,055 of the property crime reports. Firearms were involved in 52.3% of aggravated assaults. Compared to similarly sized cities (25,000 - 50,000 population), Charleston's violent crime rate is 95% higher. Violent crime has been trending downward.
Crime History
Source: FBI| Year | Violent | Property | Violent Rate | Property Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 252 | 1,443 | 5.45 | 31.20 |
| 2023 | 282 | 1,752 | 6.08 | 37.77 |
| 2022 | 324 | 2,086 | 6.84 | 44.05 |
| 2021 | 323 | 1,791 | 7.12 | 39.47 |
| 2020 | 425 | 2,122 | 9.23 | 46.09 |
| 2018 | 332 | 2,853 | 6.99 | 60.10 |
| 2017 | 573 | 3,518 | 11.74 | 72.11 |
| 2016 | 769 | 3,943 | 15.56 | 79.77 |
| 2015 | 628 | 3,327 | 12.52 | 66.31 |