City profile · Tennessee · Census ACS 2023

Covington, TN

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Covington - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

8,612
Residents
$43,512
Median income
$163,900
Median home
$1,274
Median rent (state)

Covington - the verdict

Covington ranks in the 11th percentile for household income and the 10th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

11th
percentile, household income
32nd
percentile, home value
44th
percentile, median rent
10th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Covington, TN

8,612 people live in Covington, Tennessee - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Covington households earn a median of $43,512 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 20.4%. Covington's housing stock carries a median value of $163,900, and the median resident age is 35.1 years. Educational attainment runs 13.2% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 52.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 52 residential building permits were authorized in Covington (Building Boom), up 1633% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Covington's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 3643.0 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Covington's yearly average temperature at 59.2°F with 55.8 inches of precipitation per year and 2.4 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Tennessee run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Tennessee scores 91.9 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,274 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Tennessee run around $218, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 81.0 out of 100 (High).

Population

8,612 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Tennessee

Median Household Income

$43,512 /yr

Poverty 20.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

91.9 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Tennessee average

How does Covington compare to other US cities?

Covington measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 11% higher than other cities
Home value 32% pricier than other cities
Median rent 44% pricier than other cities
Safety 10% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Tennessee, Covington ranks #158 of 174 Tennessee cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Covington's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Tennessee, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

11thIncome percentile
10thSafety percentile

11th percentile nationally for median household income · 10th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Covington's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Covington's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 28 Avg. percentile National median
Covington's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Covington's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$163,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 68% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Covington $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Covington, TN Covington, TN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Covington, TN-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Covington, TN median $43,512/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Covington, TN's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Covington, TN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 13.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 20.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 52.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
8,612
Median Income
$43,512
Median Home Value
$163,900
Median Age
35.1
Poverty Rate
20.4%
Labor force participation
52.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
13.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3643.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1112.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2530.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
59.2°F
Annual Precipitation
55.8"
Annual Snowfall
2.4"

Schools

Total Schools
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
8,500 residents8,550 residents8,600 residents8,650 residents8,700 residents 202020212022202320242025 8,666 residents 8,585 residents ▼ -0.9%
Covington's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
52
housing units authorized
Single-Family
4
detached homes
Multifamily
48
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 3
2020 26
2021 0
2022 6
2023 19
2024 52

Permit volume increased 1633% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
79.0%
Carpool
11.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.7%
Work from Home
6.4%
Other
2.5%

Based on 3,306 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Tennessee - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$58
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$218
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Tennessee state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Tennessee state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Covington sits in

Cost of Living Index
91.9
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,274/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
81.0 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Tennessee

Jefferson City
8,472 people
Harrison
8,446 people
Bloomingdale
8,840 people
Signal Mountain
8,861 people
Pulaski
8,305 people
Milan
8,194 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Covington's 8,612 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Templeton, CA
8,608 people
Harrisburg, IL
8,608 people
Fair Lakes, VA
8,617 people
Highland Heights, OH
8,619 people
Glenwood, IL
8,620 people
Monona, WI
8,604 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Covington's $43,512 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Drowning Creek, OK
$43,516 median income
Cleveland, MS
$43,519 median income
Murfreesboro, NC
$43,504 median income
Mount Lena, MD
$43,523 median income
Mountain Lakes, NH
$43,523 median income
Lunenburg, VT
$43,523 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Covington, TN Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Covington, TN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 39.4% 58.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.7% White 39.4% Black or African American 58.6% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 2.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Covington compares to nearby Tennessee cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Covington (this city) 8,612 $43,512
Jefferson City 8,472 $53,819
Harrison 8,446 $89,753
Bloomingdale 8,840 $50,408
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TN FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Covington, TN?

What is the population of Covington, TN? +

Covington, TN has a population of 8,612 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Covington, TN? +

The median household income in Covington is $43,512 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Covington? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Covington; the closest available measure is the Tennessee state average, a cost of living index of 91.9 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Tennessee vary by metro area.

Is Covington, TN safe? +

Covington has a total crime rate of 3643.0 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Covington, TN? +

A typical home in Covington is worth $163,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Covington? +

The average annual temperature in Covington runs 59.2°F, 55.8 inches of precipitation, and 2.4 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.