The typical owner-occupied home in Charleston is worth about $123,700, 46% below the Missouri median of $230,300 and 63% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $925 a year in property taxes, about 0.75% of their home's value, lower than the Missouri rate of 0.85%. The median household earns $33,952 a year, so the median home costs 3.6 times the median income (3.3 times for Missouri). 50% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 48% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Charleston at a glance
| Charleston | Missouri | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $123,700 | $230,300 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $925 | $1,948 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.75% | 0.85% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $33,952 | $70,702 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 50% | 68% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 48% | 60% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,118 | $1,524 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 14.9% | 19.0% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $774 | $1,033 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 51.0% | 28.1% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1969 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 16.4% | 11.2% | 10.1% |
| Population | 4,482 | 6,191,814 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Charleston
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Charleston home of $123,700 with 20% down costs about $795 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,001, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $34,053 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 28% of the median Charleston household income of $33,952; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $123,000.
The median rent here is $774 a month, so owning the median home costs about $21 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $24,740 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $98,960 |
| Principal and interest | $666 |
| Property taxes (0.75% a year) | $77 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $52 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $795 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $4,330 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $121,459 |
| Principal and interest | $817 |
| Property taxes (0.75% a year) | $77 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $52 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $55 |
| Total per month | $1,001 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Charleston
What is the median home value in Charleston?
About $123,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Charleston?
Homeowners pay a median $925 a year, which is about 0.75% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Charleston?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $795 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $34,053 a year.
More about Charleston
- Mortgage Refinance in Charleston
- Debt Relief in Charleston
- Home Equity Loans in Charleston
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data