1. Start with Charleston’s actual service area
Charleston is recorded as a municipality in Coles County, Illinois. The 2020–2024 ACS five-year estimate records 17,062 residents, with a margin of error of 622. That figure describes the city population only. It does not establish legal demand, search behavior, case volume, competition or staffing requirements. For Video Intake, the useful local question is narrower: which visitors does your firm intend to serve, and which geographic facts should affect qualification? A Charleston-focused flow may need to distinguish Charleston matters from inquiries elsewhere in Coles County or outside the firm’s service area. That is a practice decision, not a conclusion drawn from population.
Recommended approach
Write the geographic rule before selecting questions. Decide whether location is an initial qualification question, a routing field or a later review item. Keep Charleston, Coles County and Illinois distinct in the firm’s wording, and do not use the city’s population as a forecast of submissions.
