Covington, KY
Census place 2117848 · pop 41,110
Sits across the Ohio River from Cincinnati and anchors the Roebling Suspension Bridge, the prototype its designer later scaled up into the Brooklyn Bridge.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
20.8% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
51.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
86.9% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.48 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$61,166 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
298 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
1669 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
+1.4% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
3.9% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.11% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
32.2% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
22 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,554/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
74/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$187,300 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
Not measured for Covington: Air, Obesity, Mental, Inactive, Smoking, Uninsured, Bad air. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Covington, KY a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Covington scores 46/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 15 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is housing cost and its weakest is poverty rate. Kentucky overall ranks #22 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Covington, KY?
- Covington reports 298 violent crimes per 100k and 1669 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Covington, KY expensive to live in?
- Covington has a median home value of $187,300 and typical rent around $1,554/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Covington, KY?
- Its weakest measured area is poverty rate (20.8%) — 16/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Covington, KY best at?
- Its strongest measured area is housing cost ($187,300) — 75/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Sits across the Ohio River from Cincinnati and anchors the Roebling Suspension Bridge, the prototype its designer later scaled up into the Brooklyn Bridge.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.