Covington gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $217K for a typical one, or 2.7 years of the Cincinnati metro’s $81K median household income. It grades C+ overall, 72nd among Kentucky's 138 graded towns. The low prices come with trade-offs. Residents are less healthy than 81% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates, and FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 76% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. On the plus side, it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 95% of U.S. towns. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 98% of U.S. towns, with 52 places on the National Register. Covington’s trail density is 1.5 miles per square mile, against 0.3 in Kentucky’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. Its National Register listings include Daniel Carter Beard Boyhood Home and Covington and Cincinnati Suspension Bridge. On the outdoors, just 4 of Kentucky’s 238 towns do better.

StrongestA⁺History AWalkability AOutdoorsWeakestC⁻Health C⁻Hazard risk

What makes Covington stand out

Where Covington beats most towns.

Covington and Cincinnati Suspension Bridge

HistoryA⁺

Settled in 1815

A history going back 211 years.

WalkabilityA

More walkable than 95% of U.S. towns

6.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transit

EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.

Conserved land & trails

OutdoorsA

#3 most trails in KY

Covington and Cincinnati Suspension Bridge · National Register of Historic Places

Covington’s story

211 years in pictures

Covington and Cincinnati Suspension Bridge is one of 2 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its 52 National Register listings are more than in 97% of Kentucky towns with a listing.

Census counts: 743 in 1830, a peak of 65,252 in 1930, 40,961 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1848 and 4 maps from 1914 on.

1815Covington is settled

Explore the history →

How Covington grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Kentucky), ordered by how far Covington is from typical.

How grading works

WalkabilityEPA walkability 13.6 of 20; 14.5% of households have no carAOpen →HealthSt. Elizabeth Edgewood 3.1 miles awayC⁻Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC⁻Open →SafetyCOpen →SchoolsB⁺Open →Cost of livingBOpen →Jobs & income$61K median household income; 18,403 jobs based hereC⁺Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors10% conserved landAOpen →History54 notable people born hereA⁺Open →Civic life4.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB⁻Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market$217K typical home, down 0.2% in a year; 14 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 37.6–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Paycor Stadium and 50 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Covington. Close and well known come first.

All 79 attractions →

4 mi Stadium & arenaPaycor Stadium

4 mi Stadium & arenaGreat American Ball Park

Big draw25 mi Theme parkKings Island3.5M visitors a year

Big draw29 mi Theme parkArk Encounter

5 mi Stadium & arenaTQL Stadium

7 mi Stadium & arenaNippert Stadium

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Paycor Stadium: JonRidinger, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Great American Ball Park: Eric Kilby profile at Flickr website, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Kings Island: Eli Duke from Portland, OR, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Ark Encounter: OlinEJ, CC0 · TQL Stadium: Cornfield948, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Nippert Stadium: Ben Levin, CC BY-SA 4.0

Getting set up

Moving to Covington: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Covington, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerDuke Energy Kentucky13.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterNorthern Kentucky Water DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet5 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpBy addressDay by addressTown site

SchoolsKenton County School District Covington Independent School District2 districts serve Covington; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn Kentucky you can register online until 29 days before Election Day, in person until 29 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 29 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereKenton County ClerkKenton County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2024

ZIP codes41011, 41015, 41014, 4101741011 41% · 41015 26% · 41014 17% · 41017 14%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Covington.

Covington sends many workers across the state line and has more trail for its size than nearly any town in Kentucky, but it reports more crime than Ludlow and its other graded neighbors.

OutdoorsA

Conserved land covers 9.6% of Covington

At 1.5 miles of trail per square mile, it ranks #3 of 77 Kentucky towns. Its A for the outdoors ranks #3 of 142 in Kentucky.

That puts Covington where Kentucky’s towns sit at 1.7% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. 20 miles of trail in 15 parks and preserves. Devou Park, at 617 acres with 13.5 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.

#3for trails in KY

9.6%

conserved · 841 of 8,758 acres

20 mi

of trails · 1.5 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Devou Park	13.5 mi	617
2. Pioneer Park	0.9 mi	51
3. Bill Cappel Sports Complex	0.7 mi	39

Full pageCovington’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map20 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk13.5 miles of trail · Devou Park Conserved land9.6% conserved · 841 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Covington?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

SchoolsB⁺

Covington’s public schools outperform 67% of Kentucky districts

Its public schools are run by the Covington Independent school district. Three of its 23 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

67%of KY districts it outscoresB⁺School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Holmes Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8	Grades 6–8	631	D
Holmes High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	855	D
Ft Wright Elementary SchoolTop results in townGrades PK–5	Grades PK–5	469	A

Full pageCovington’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsCovington Independent Vs. the neighborsAhead of 2 of its 8 graded neighbors Every school23 schools · Taylor Mill Elementary School Questions“Are Covington’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within KY on state tests and graduation

HealthC⁻

Covington’s grade for health is a C−

21% of adults smoke cigarettes in Covington. Covington beats the Kentucky average on 2 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 5. 28% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Covington.

19%healthier than U.S. townsC⁻Health Grade

	Covington	Kentucky towns	U.S. towns
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)	21%	18%	14%
Food insecurity (CDC PLACES)	21%	16%	14%
Depression (CDC PLACES)	28%	27%	23%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)	16%	15%	14%

31 measures vs. Kentucky

2 better24 too close to call5 worse

What stands out	Covington	KY
Fewer adults who have had cancer	7.4%	8.7%
Fewer adults with arthritis	28.4%	32.2%
More uninsured adults	8.3%	5.4%

St. Elizabeth Edgewood

3.1 mi away · emergency room

2 of 3

care shortages: dental, mental health

36th

percentile among KY towns

Full pageCovington’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore smokers Hospitals & doctors nearby3.1 miles to an ER · St. Elizabeth Edgewood How adults are doingMore adults in frequent mental distress Every CDC estimateBetter than KY on 2 of 31

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C⁻

High risk in Covington, with inland flooding at the top

Since 1978, 64 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Covington.

76risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves

paid flood claims since 1978

Full pageCovington’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesHigh risk Flood claims64 paid flood claims · Since 1978 Past disasters12 disaster declarations · Declared for the county Get ready2.3 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

SafetyC

More crime per resident in Covington than in 69% of U.S. towns

Each of the 6 graded towns on its borders reports less crime per resident, from Ludlow (B) to Taylor Mill (A). At 27.9 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 81% of Kentucky’s graded towns.

The violent crime rate in Covington is 2.8 per 1,000 residents.

31%of U.S. towns report more crimeCSafety Grade

	Covington	Kentucky towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	2.8 per 1,000 residents	1.3	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	13.9 per 1,000 residents	8.2	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Covington2.8

Kentucky2.2

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Covington13.9

Kentucky12.8

U.S.15.5

31st

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

19th

percentile among KY towns

119

violent crimes reported in 2025

581

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageCovington’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type2.8 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsDown since 2023 Vs. the neighborsAhead of 1 of its 8 graded neighbors Questions“Is Covington, KY safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

Climate

In Covington, expect four seasons and pleasant summers

Covington has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 24° and about 23 inches of snow falls in a winter.

23″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter26–42°

Spring43–65°

Summer64–85°

Fall46–67°

Oct 25

typical first frost

Apr 16

typical last frost

+1.2°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageCovington’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 86°, January lows 24°Rain & snow23″ of snow a winter · 45 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.2° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Work & commuteJobs & income grade C⁺

About one in eight working residents works right in Covington

26% of working residents cross a state line to work. Covington has about as many jobs (18,403) as working residents, but only 2,457 people both live and work here.

Most working residents leave Covington for work: only 13% work in town. 21% of Covington residents live below the poverty line. The top destinations are Cincinnati (15%), Florence (8%) and Newport (3%).

13%work in town

	Covington	Kentucky towns	U.S. towns
Below the poverty line	21%	16%	9.6%
Work from home	14%	10%	11%
Average trip to work	22 minutes	22 minutes	25 minutes
Working residents who work in town	13%	15%	8%

Where working residents work

In Covington13%

Cincinnati15%

Florence8%

Newport3%

Erlanger3%

7 mi

median commute distance

18,403

jobs based in Covington

Balanced

jobs vs. working residents

Walkability grade: more walkable than 95% of U.S. towns

Full pageCovington’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here18,403 jobs based here · Balanced Where people work13% work in Covington Commute times22 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 7 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Who lives here

An age mix much like Kentucky’s

No broad age group is more than 4 points off the Kentucky average. Covington has grown 2.2% since 2020, to 41,847 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 32% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 28% across Kentucky.

37.6median age · KY 39.1

	Covington	Kentucky towns	U.S. towns
Aged 65 or older	15%	17%	18%
Under 18	20%	22%	22%
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+	32%	26%	29%
Median age	37.6 years	37.6 years	40.5 years

CovingtonKentuckyUnited States

KYU.S.

Ages · share of residents

17%

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma12%

High school31%

Some college19%

Associate’s7%

Bachelor’s22%

Graduate11%

Women and men · all residents

49% women, 51% men

That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±1.5 points. Across Kentucky, 50.5% of residents are women. Median age: women 38.5, men 36.7.

Ages and education in Covington
	Covington	KY	U.S.
Under 10	12.4%	12.1%	11.6%
10 to 17	7.9%	10.5%	10.3%
18 to 24	8.3%	9.1%	9.1%
25 to 34	17.2%	13.1%	13.7%
35 to 44	14.2%	12.6%	13.2%
45 to 54	11.2%	12.3%	12.2%
55 to 64	14.2%	13%	12.7%
65 to 74	9.8%	10.5%	10.2%
75 and older	4.8%	6.8%	7%
No diploma	11.8%	11.1%	10.4%
High school	30.8%	32.6%	26%
Some college	18.6%	19.7%	19.1%
Associate’s	6.6%	9%	8.8%
Bachelor’s	21.6%	16.2%	21.6%
Graduate	10.7%	11.3%	14.1%

Full pageCovington by the numbersOpen the page

Ages37.6 median age · 15% are 65 or older Schooling32% have a four-year degree Homes52% own their home · Homeowners Income$61K a year · Median household income

Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates

HousingCost of living grade B

Covington’s grade for cost of living is a B

At 2.7 years of the Cincinnati metro’s $81K median household income, the typical home (about $217K) costs less against local pay than in 84% of Kentucky towns; that ratio is one input to its B for cost of living.

The typical Covington home is worth about $217,000, about the same as a year ago, 6% below the Kentucky typical home.

$217KZillow home value

	Covington	Kentucky towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	52%	59%	73%
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent	49%	44%	48%
Median rent	$1,006 a month	$930 a month	$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Covington$217K

Kentucky$231K

Market temperature

days on market

98.7%

sale-to-list price

−0.2%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in May

Full pageCovington’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsAbout the same as a year ago Years of income to buyA typical home costs 3.6 years of income Rents$1,006 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsAhead of 4 of its 8 graded neighbors

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Covington

20pages on Covington

The big questions

SchoolsB⁺Beat 67% of KY districts · 23 schools SafetyC2.8 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC⁻Better than KY on 2 of 31 CDC measures Cost of livingB$217K typical home · down 0.2% in a year Work & commuteC⁺$61K median household income · 18,403 jobs here Natural hazardsC⁻FEMA risk higher than 76% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsA20 mi of trails · 10% conserved land PlacesAttractions79 nearby · Devou Park under 1 mi LibraryB⁻Carrico/Fort Thomas Branch CollegesThomas More University is 2.8 mi away

The story

HistoryA⁺Settled 1815 · 52 on the National Register Famous people54 born in Covington Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 108 residents Climate86° summer highs · 23″ of snow

Day to day

News20 recent stories about Covington WeatherHandbookZIP code 41011, 41012, 41014 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

14 within 15 miles of the center of Covington

Thomas More UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Crestview Hills2.8 mi$39,800 tuition Northern Kentucky UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Highland Heights3 mi$11,088 in-state tuition Gateway Community and Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Florence8 mi$4,728 in-state tuition

About 5 of every 100 Covington residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Kentucky.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

Get outside

20 miles of trails in Covington

9.6% of the town is conserved land, across 15 parks and preserves.

Map of trails and conserved land in Covington

ConservedTrails

Devou Park13.5 mi of trails · 617 acres

Directions

Pioneer Park0.9 mi of trails · 51 acres

Bill Cappel Sports Complex0.7 mi of trails · 39 acres

Directions

Landmarks

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

All landmarks →

Covington and Cincinnati Suspension BridgeBuilt 1867 · National Historic Landmark

Riverside Drive Historic District

Kenton County Library

Cathedral Basilica of the AssumptionBuilt 1901

Famous people from Covington

54 notable people were born in Covington.

See all 54 →

Adrian BelewAmerican rock musician · born 1949

Una MerkelAmerican actress · 1903–1986

Robert L. SurteesAmerican cinematographer · 1906–1985

Frank DuveneckAmerican artist · 1848–1919

Harry B. HawesAmerican politician · 1869–1947

John Wilkinson TaylorUNESCO director-general · 1906–2001

About Covington

City in Kentucky, United States

Official town website ↗

Covington is a city in Kenton County, Kentucky, United States. It is located at the confluence of the Ohio and Licking rivers, across from Cincinnati, Ohio to the north and Newport to the east. It is the largest city in Northern Kentucky and the fifth-most populous city in the state with a population of 40,691 at the 2020 census. Covington is part of the Cincinnati metropolitan area and is one of Kenton County's two seats, along with Independence. Covington is a home-rule class city under Kentucky law.

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

Established: 1815
Area: 14 sq mi
Elevation: 509 ft
ZIP code: 41011, 41012, 41014
Area code: 859

Covington’s neighbors

10 towns share a border with Covington.

Explore the map →

All 6 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its C+; Ludlow (B) is closest.

How the neighbors grade

Town	KY rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Covington	#72	C⁺	B	C	B⁺	C⁻
Taylor Mill	#16	A	B⁺	A	A	C⁻
Fort Wright	#5	A⁺	B⁻	A⁻	A	A⁻
Ludlow	#48	B	B⁺	B	B	C⁺
Park Hills	#4	A⁺	B⁻	A⁻	A	A
Wilder	#22	A	B⁺	B⁺	A	B
Erlanger	#9	A⁺	A⁻	A⁻	A⁻	B
Ryland Heights	—	—	—	—	—	—

Ryland Heights isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Covington with a neighbor →

Questions about Covington

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Covington, KY a good place to live?

Covington grades C+ overall, better than 38% of U.S. towns and #72 of 138 in Kentucky. It grades C− for health, C for safety and B+ for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a C−.

Is Covington, KY expensive?

Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.

What is Covington, KY known for?

54 notable people were born here, including Adrian Belew and Una Merkel.

Post to Covington

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Is Covington a good place to live?