Charfield is a medium-sized village of about 2,500 residents with two pubs, The Railway Tavern and The Plough Inn, a convenience store with Post Office, a cafe, a petrol station with a small shop, a Co-op (opened December 2023) as well as two churches.

The parish council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, such as the Memorial Hall and playing field and playground, as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning.

Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also of interest to the council.

Charfield railway station closed in January 1965 but still stands, and discussions continue about the viability of re-opening it.

On 11 October 2022 it was announced that South Gloucestershire Council and Network Rail have submitted a planning application for a new train station in Charfield.

The Leeds to Bristol LMS night mail train crashed under a road bridge near Charfield railway station, killing 15 and injuring 23.