Virtual data rooms for Charleston deals, audits and legal matters

What sets Charleston's economy apart

The industry that stands out most in the Charleston, WV metro, measured against the national mix, is utilities. Its 39 establishments are 3.4 times the share you would expect from the country as a whole. Next come rental and leasing (55 establishments, 1.9 times) and telecommunications (58 establishments, 1.7 times). No other metro on these pages has a higher concentration of utilities, out of 61 with published figures.

Utility projects and acquisitions carry regulatory filings, interconnection agreements and asset records that many parties review.

Equipment and vehicle rental businesses share fleet records and lease portfolios with lenders and buyers. In rental and leasing, Charleston leads every metro on these pages.

How Charleston compares

The Census Bureau estimated the Charleston, WV metro's population at 202,091 in July 2024, down 8,495 or 4.0 percent on the April 2020 base of 210,586.

Measured against the 2023 estimate of 202,942, the same year as the business count, Charleston has 80.3 offices of lawyers per 100,000 residents, 5th of the 59 metro areas on these pages against a median of 52.6; the nearest rates are Oklahoma City, OK at 78.0 and San Diego, CA at 77.2.

The metro with the closest number of law offices is Wichita, KS, with 192; the metro closest in population, Billings, MT at 192,531 residents, has 109 law offices and 120 accounting, tax, bookkeeping and payroll establishments.

Counted by accounting, tax, bookkeeping and payroll firms instead, Charleston's nearest match is Cheyenne, WY, with 61.

• Residents, July 2024: 202,091
• Residents, April 2020 base: 210,586
• Change since 2020: -8,495 (-4.0 percent), 58th of 59
• Law offices per 100,000 residents: 80.3, 5th of 59
• Accounting, tax, bookkeeping and payroll per 100,000 residents: 36.5, 46th of 59
• Securities and investment per 100,000 residents: 23.2, 55th of 59
• Managing offices per 100,000 residents: 15.3, 29th of 59
• Real estate agents and brokers per 100,000 residents: 16.3, 59th of 59
• Employees in offices of lawyers: about 1,500
• Employees in accounting, tax, bookkeeping and payroll: about 678

The courts and regulators behind Charleston paperwork

When a Charleston dispute reaches federal court, it goes to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.

CPAs practicing in West Virginia are licensed by the West Virginia Board of Accountancy.

At state level, securities offerings and investment advisers in West Virginia answer to the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office, Securities Commission, so a Charleston fund raising money or an adviser facing an exam has documents to produce on request.

If personal information in a Charleston deal, audit or case file is exposed, West Virginia's data breach notification law sets who has to be told and when.