What are the schools like in Covington, VA?

Covington is served primarily by Alleghany Highlands Public Schools. The district operates 4 elementary schools, 1 middle schools, and 1 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 12.9:1.

What is the median household income in Covington?

The median household income in Covington, VA is $45,737 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 2.6%.

What is the weather like in Covington, VA?

Covington has an average high temperature of 41.5°F in January and 84.0°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 39.5 inches and annual snowfall averages 10.1 inches.

Covington, VA Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Covington, VA affordable or expensive?

Covington's cost of living index is 88, where 100 represents the national average. This means Covington is 12% less expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $80,100 and the median rent is $718 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Covington, VA?

Covington has a violent crime rate of 181.1 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 1285.8 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Covington, VA a Good Place to Live?

Covington is a small town of 5,722 in Virginia, with a median household income of $45,737 and a 2.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 88 (US average = 100), which is 12% below the national average.

Strengths: Covington stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Covington is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Covington city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 88.2

Covington's overall cost of living index is 88.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Covington costs roughly 12% less than the average American city.

Metric	Covington, VA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$80,100	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$718	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	75.2%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$45,737	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Covington's violent crime rate is 181.1 per 100,000 residents — 52% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

181.1 /100k

Property Crime

1285.8 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Covington is served primarily by Alleghany Highlands Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Covington, VA	National Avg
School District	Alleghany Highlands Public Schools	—
Elementary Schools	4	—
Middle Schools	1	—
High Schools	1	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	12.9:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	11.4%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	88.6%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Covington sees average highs of 41.5°F in January and 84.0°F in July, with 39.5 inches of annual precipitation and 10.1 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Covington, VA
Average High — January	41.5°F
Average High — July	84.0°F
Annual Precipitation	39.5"
Annual Snowfall	10.1"

Demographics

Metric	Covington, VA	National Avg
Population	5,722	—
Median Age	41.9	38.9
Unemployment Rate	2.6%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	16.7 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	81.6%	59.3%
Black or African American	13.5%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	0.8%	18.9%
Asian	1.1%	6.3%
Under 18	22.5%	22.2%
65 and over	19.1%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Mallow, VA 1 mi Callaghan, VA 6 mi Low Moor, VA 6 mi Selma, VA 8 mi Glen Wilton, VA 9 mi

ZIP Codes in Covington

Covington, VA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

24426

Covington vs Other Cities

Covington, VA vs Mallow, VA Covington, VA vs Callaghan, VA Covington, VA vs Low Moor, VA Covington, VA vs Selma, VA Covington, VA vs Glen Wilton, VA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Covington, VA affordable or expensive?

Covington's cost of living index is 88, where 100 is the national average. That makes Covington roughly 12% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $80,100 and median rent is $718/month.

What is the crime rate in Covington, VA?

Covington's violent crime rate is 181.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1285.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Covington?

Public schools in Covington are operated by Alleghany Highlands Public Schools. The district has 4 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.9:1. 11.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Covington, VA a good place to live?

Covington, VA has a population of 5,722, a median household income of $45,737, and an unemployment rate of 2.6%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Covington?

Covington averages 41.5°F in January and 84.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 39.5 inches with about 10.1 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Covington?

Covington, VA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 24426.

What is the population of Covington?

The population of Covington, Virginia is 5,722 with a median age of 41.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Covington?

Key numbers for living in Covington: cost of living index 88 (100 = US average), median home $80,100, median household income $45,737, crime index 53 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Covington side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.