South Charleston is a city in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. It is located to the west of the state capital of Charleston. The population was 13,639 at the 2020 census. It was established in 1906, but not incorporated until 1917. The Criel Mound built circa 0 BCE by the Adena culture is adjacent to the city's downtown business district. It is home to the Charleston Ordnance Center, a former naval munitions factory established for use in World War I.