Uprootmap
Pittsburgh vs Charleston
Pittsburgh and Charleston
Photo: Hanyou23 / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Charleston are above the US rate in this release, 10 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Pittsburgh to Charleston
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from Pittsburgh to Charleston above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,163 in Pittsburgh and $1,011 in Charleston. Pittsburgh has a state tax on wages. Charleston has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Charleston is 88% of the national level for the same work, against 96% in Pittsburgh.
Charleston averages 188 sunny days, with July highs around 84°F and January nights around 29°F. Pittsburgh is 162 sunny days, 83°F in July, 21°F in January. Commutes average 24 minutes in Charleston and 26 in Pittsburgh.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
The IRS did not publish a large enough Pittsburgh → Charleston pair for 2022-2023. That usually means fewer than a few dozen tax returns, not that nobody moved.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Pittsburgh and Charleston changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 209 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,750–$3,300
- Container or pod
- $1,200–$2,250
- Rent a truck
- $450–$900
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Dig into Charleston
Questions
Is Charleston cheaper than Pittsburgh after tax and rent?
Yes. Charleston leaves about $151 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,163 in Pittsburgh and $1,011 in Charleston.
Does Charleston have state income tax?
Charleston is in West Virginia, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Pittsburgh to Charleston?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.