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Beckley, WV vs Charleston, WV Crime Comparison

Side-by-side crime rates, safety scores, and trends based on FBI data.

Full report: Beckley crime rate · Charleston crime rate

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Is Beckley, WV or Charleston, WV Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Charleston, WV is safer than Beckley, WV (Safety Score 11/100 vs 1/100), with a total crime rate of 3,665 per 100,000 versus 8,517 for Beckley, WV — 57% lower. Beckley has higher rates in 2 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in murder, where Beckley has a 100% lower rate.

Note: Charleston is 2.8x larger by coverage, which can affect crime rate comparisons. Larger cities tend to report higher rates due to density and more comprehensive reporting.

Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Beckley, WV?

Beckley — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Increasing Property Increasing Total

Charleston — 4-Year Trend

Decreasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Beckley, WV

Beckley, WV
Safety Score 1/100
Coverage 16,367
Total Crime Rate 8,517.1
Category Wins 2/7

Charleston, WV

Charleston, WV
Safety Score 11/100
Coverage 46,252
Total Crime Rate 3,664.7
Category Wins 5/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Beckley Charleston Difference
Total Crime Rate 8,517.1 3,664.7 +4,852.4
Violent Crime Rate 604.9 544.8 +60.0
Murder Rate 0.0 13.0 -13.0
Rape Rate 116.1 58.4 +57.7
Robbery Rate 55.0 54.1 +0.9
Aggravated Assault Rate 433.8 417.3 +16.5
Property Crime Rate 7,912.3 3,119.9 +4,792.4
Burglary Rate 879.8 655.1 +224.7
Larceny-Theft Rate 6,861.4 2,281.0 +4,580.4
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 171.1 183.8 -12.7

All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR.

Moving from Beckley, WV to Charleston, WV?

The Moving Checklist Planner turns your move-in date into a dated checklist, packing inventory and budget — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Beckley or Charleston safer?

Charleston, WV is safer with a total crime rate of 3,665 per 100K vs 8,517 for Beckley, WV — a 57% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

Beckley has a violent crime rate of 604.9 per 100K while Charleston has 544.8. Charleston has lower violent crime.

About Beckley, WV

Nestled in the Appalachian Mountains, Beckley, West Virginia, is a historic coal mining town. Home to the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine, it serves as a regional hub for southern West Virginia. Its population is approximately 16,000. With a safety score of 1/100 and a population coverage of 16,367, Beckley has a total crime rate of 8,517.1 per 100,000 residents.

About Charleston, WV

Charleston, WV, the state capital, sits at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers. Once a major hub for the salt and coal industries, its population is around 47,000. With a safety score of 11/100 and a population coverage of 46,252, Charleston has a total crime rate of 3,664.7 per 100,000 residents.

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