The
Charleston Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the
United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in
West Virginia, anchored by the city of
Charleston. It is the largest metropolitan area entirely within the state of West Virginia. While the
Huntington Metro Area is more populous, it spans three states (West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio), and the core county of the Charleston area,
Kanawha County, is more populous than the West Virginia portion of the Huntington area.