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COUNTY

Covington County

Mississippi · 17,898 residents (2025 est.) · 414 sq mi
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The short version

With 18,148 people, Covington County is a county in Mississippi. 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $105,100. 1% of locals were born outside the United States. Owners hold 78% of the housing stock. Median rent is $662 a month.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 37.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
18,148
−6%since 2000
from 19,407 in 2000
17,898 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
44 / sq mi
−11%since 2009
from 49 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
37.3
+10%since 2000
from 33.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
414 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
16K17K18K20K21K19902000201020202024Covington County
202418K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.7%(1,213)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 97%(1,272)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.5%(1,180)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.5%(1,007)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.8%(1,241)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.6%(2,461)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.7%(2,122)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.2%(2,031)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.3%(2,422)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.3%(1,864)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 846.4%(1,156)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1%(179)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$45,051
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,669 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$27,839
+92%since 2000
from $14,506 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
35.0%
+18.2 ptssince 2009
from 16.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
19.8%
−3.7 ptssince 2000
from 23.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.488
+5%since 2010
from 0.464 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade19.1%
US avg: 9.9%
Information12.6%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade8.1%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance5.8%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.3%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing5%
US avg: 1.6%
Other services4%
US avg: 6.7%
Construction3.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Public administration3.5%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing3.1%
US avg: 2.2%
Manufacturing1.3%
US avg: 0.4%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$105,100
+16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $49,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$662
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $343 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
77.5%
−7.4 ptssince 2000
from 84.9% in 2000
22.5% rent
Vacancy rate
12.8%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 12.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.44 people
−9%since 2009
from 2.69 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
20.9%
−4.7 ptssince 2009
from 25.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
18.3%
−24.8 ptssince 2009
from 43.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.3
−7%since 2009
from 2.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
9
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic63.1%(12,249)
Black35.3%(6,860)
Hispanic / Latino0.8%(155)
Asian0.1%(23)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic59.4%(10,776)
Black34.8%(6,313)
Hispanic / Latino2.6%(471)
Asian0.2%(44)
Other3%(544)
Diversity Score
66
+7%since 2009
from 61 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
27
−39%since 2020
from 44 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Guatemalan1.1%(201)
Mexican0.5%(98)
Salvadoran0.3%(60)
Puerto Rican0.3%(56)
Cuban0.2%(44)
Asian origin
Vietnamese0.2%(29)
Chinese0.1%(15)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
American11.6%(2,109)
English7.8%(1,418)
Irish3.9%(713)
German1.7%(310)
French1.2%(224)
Scottish0.9%(166)
Italian0.6%(115)
Portuguese0.5%(85)
Dutch0.2%(42)
Brazilian0.1%(19)
+ 9 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.1%(18)
Hungarian0.1%(16)
Ethiopian0.1%(16)
Welsh0.1%(16)
West Indian0.1%(13)
Barbadian0.1%(13)
Russian0%(5)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
17.4%
+6.0 ptssince 2000
from 11.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
83.0%
+15.8 ptssince 2000
from 67.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
5.7%
+1.3 ptssince 2000
from 4.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.8 min
+18%since 2000
from 20.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
84.2%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 84.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
5.0%
−5.7 ptssince 2009
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
1.6%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
5.8%
+4.6 ptssince 2009
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.2%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
8.8%
+2.8 ptssince 2009
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.5%
−3.7 ptssince 2011
from 7.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
53.2%
+1.1 ptssince 2011
from 52.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
67.2%
+4.1 ptssince 2020
from 63.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
12.5%
−3.5 ptssince 2009
from 16.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
28.0%
+2.7 ptssince 2009
from 25.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
52.0%
+4.3 ptssince 2009
from 47.6% in 2009
Female
48.0%
−4.3 ptssince 2009
from 52.4% in 2009
Foreign born
1.1%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.2%
−5.6 ptssince 2009
from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
17.9%
−2.5 ptssince 2012
from 20.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
9.6%
−6.3 ptssince 2013
from 15.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
71.1%
+18.9 ptssince 2017
from 52.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
89.7%
+3.6 ptssince 2020
from 86.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
95.3%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 96.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
97.5%
−2.0 ptssince 2016
from 99.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
2.1%
+1.8 ptssince 2016
from 0.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married32.9%(2,325)
Married55.5%(3,927)
Widowed2.4%(170)
Divorced9.2%(654)
Women 15+
Never married20.3%(1,500)
Married56.1%(4,157)
Widowed8.6%(639)
Divorced15%(1,111)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
9.6%
−6.3 ptssince 2013
from 15.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
48.9%
+5.5 ptssince 2020
from 43.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
11.6%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 12.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
20.2%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 20.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
25.9%
−1.5 ptssince 2020
from 27.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.3%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 2.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
59.7%
+3.8 ptssince 2020
from 55.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
39.9%
−2.3 ptssince 2020
from 42.2% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)9.3%(79)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)21.6%(183)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era40.9%(346)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.5%(21)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 846 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

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Pop 18,100
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Pop 18,122
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Pop 17,831
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Head to head

Compare Covington County to nearby counties

COVINGTON COUNTY VS
Jefferson Davis County
Income$38,548−14%
Home value$90,100−14%
Population10,941−39%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COVINGTON COUNTY VS
Jones County
Income$52,216+16%
Home value$143,100+36%
Population66,496+272%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COVINGTON COUNTY VS
Smith County
Income$60,916+35%
Home value$112,600+7%
Population13,991−22%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
COVINGTON COUNTY VS
Simpson County
Income$56,381+25%
Home value$122,200+16%
Population25,498+42%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Covington County, Mississippi?

Covington County, Mississippi has about 18,148 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Covington County, Mississippi?

The typical household in Covington County, Mississippi earns about $45,051 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Covington County, Mississippi expensive?

In Covington County, Mississippi, the median home is worth about $105,100, and the typical rent is about $662 a month.

How educated are people in Covington County, Mississippi?

About 17.4% of adults age 25 and over in Covington County, Mississippi hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Covington County, Mississippi?

About 19.8% of people in Covington County, Mississippi live below the federal poverty line.

Has Covington County, Mississippi grown since 1990?

Yes, Covington County, Mississippi has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,621 residents, a change of about 10 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →