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Covington, Va - Main Street

CovingtonVA

A town of 5,680. A typical home worth about $169K.

1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Jarek Tuszyński · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
5,680
−3.8% since 2010
Typical home
$169K
+5.3% in a year
Household income
$42K
median
Median age
38.0
years
Jobs based here
3,690
Balanced

What makes Covington stand out

The 3 things Covington does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Covington’s report card

See the data ↓

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The data

Ordered by what stands out in Covington. Another town gets a different order.

Housing

A typical Covington home is worth about $169K

The typical Covington home is worth about $169,000, up 5.3% in a year, 59% below the Virginia typical home.

$169KZillow home value

Typical home value

Covington$169K
Virginia$415K
+5.3%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Schools

Covington’s public schools outperform 82% of Virginia districts

The public schools Covington’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 82% of Virginia’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

A−School Grade
SchoolGradesStudentsGrade
Jeter-Watson ElementaryPK–5491Not graded
Covington Middle6–8594C
Rivermont School - Alleghany Highlands PrivateK–1234
NCES · EDFacts · graded within VA on state tests and graduationAll 3 schools →
Work & commute

About one in four working residents works right in Covington

About one in 4 of Covington’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Roanoke (5%), Low Moor (3%) and Clifton Forge (3%). Half commute less than 19 miles.

26%work in town

Where working residents work

In Covington26%
Roanoke5%
Low Moor3%
Clifton Forge3%
Hot Springs2%
19 mi
median commute distance
3,690
jobs based in Covington
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Outdoors

14.1% of Covington is conserved land

6.5 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves.

#79for trails in VA
14.1%
conserved · 510 of 3,610 acres
6.5 mi
of trails · 1.2 per sq mi
#36
most conserved land in VA
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Covington City Park & Pool—4
2. Reservoir Park—3
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Health

Healthier than 7% of U.S. towns

Covington beats the Virginia average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 22.

DHealth Grade
32 measures vs. Virginia
0 better10 too close to call22 worse
What stands outCovingtonVA
More adults with COPD11.4%6.2%
More smokers20.3%12.2%
More adults who have had a stroke5.1%3.3%
Lewisgale Hospital Alleghany
2.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
5th
percentile among VA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Natural hazards

High risk, with inland flooding at the top

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 72% of U.S. communities.

72risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
72High riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingStrong windCold waves
180
paid flood claims since 1978
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate

Four seasons, pleasant summers

Covington has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 10 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

10″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter27–47°
Spring42–67°
Summer61–85°
Fall44–68°
Oct 18
typical first frost
Apr 27
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Safety

Less crime per resident than 48% of U.S. towns

Covington reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 52% report less.

B−Safety Grade

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Covington2.3
Virginia2.1
U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Covington10.4
Virginia13.9
U.S.15.5
48th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
63rd
percentile among VA towns
13
violent crimes reported in 2025
59
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
City limits. Covington, Virginia
1939 · City limits. Covington, Virginia · Library of Congress
Covington’s story

Covington in pictures

12 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 7 places on the National Register.

VAMap-doton-CovingtonOn the road - panoramio (10)On the road - panoramio (11)
Explore the history →

Landmarks

7 places in Covington on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Famous people from Covington

17 notable people were born in Covington.

See all 17 →

About Covington

Independent city in Virginia, United States

Official town website ↗

Covington is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,737, making it the second-least populous city in Virginia. It is surrounded by Alleghany County, of which it is also the county seat. Located at the confluence of Jackson River and Dunlap Creek, Covington is one of three cities (with Roanoke and Salem) in the Roanoke Regional Partnership. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Covington with Alleghany county for statistical purposes.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Population
5,737
Area
5.7 sq mi
Elevation
1,250 ft
ZIP code
24426
Area code
540

Covington’s neighbors

One town shares a border with Covington.

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Photo of Covington

Covington, VA · Photo: Jarek Tuszyński · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source ↗