Covington, Virginia Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Covington is located in Virginia with a total population of 5,671. It is the 128th most populous county out of 133 in Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in Covington is 41.5 years. This is 7% higher than the state median of 38.8 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Covington is $42,724. This is 53% lower than the state median of $90,974. It is also 46% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 23.6%. This is 138% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 2.4%. This is 45% lower than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $80,200. Housing costs are 78% lower than the state median of $360,700. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.9x, Covington is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 71.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 6% higher than the state average of 67.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Covington is White (non-Hispanic), making up 79.6% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 12.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.2%) is well below the state average of 10.7%. The Asian population (1.2%) is well below the state average of 6.8%.

Education

9.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 77% lower than the state rate of 41.5%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 87.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Covington come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), with comparisons drawn against Virginia and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.