Covington is a city in Alleghany County, Virginia, home to about 5,680 people across 5.5 square miles. Its ZIP code is 24426.
Homes sold for a median of $121 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.
Mostly Covington; also Mallow and Callaghan
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Covington. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Covington’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO)116 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Greenbrier Valley Airport (LWB)23 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Greensboro, NC117 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA303 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Covington; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Covington had 5,737 residents in the 2020 census, down 9% since 2000.
It’s the 191st largest of 669 towns in Virginia by population.
Alleghany County grew from 16,330 residents in 1900 to 15,223 in 2020.
Alleghany County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 84°F in summer, and winter lows average 23°F. About 39.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 10 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Covington Fltr Plt, VA weather station (2 miles away).
2,492 jobs at 241 businesses in Alleghany County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2022 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
47 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Covington.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 6 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 1 |
| Dentists | 3 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 11 |
| Mental health providers | 21 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 5 |
| Pharmacies | 3 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (3 nearby)
Grocery stores (2 nearby)
Pharmacies (2 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 2 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Alleghany Highlands Public Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Callaghan ElementaryCovington | Pre-K–5 | 270 | Public | 5.5 mi |
| Jeter-Watson ElementaryCovington | Pre-K–5 | 491 | Public | 1.9 mi |
| Mountain View ElementaryCovington | Pre-K–5 | 415 | Public | 6.3 mi |
| Covington MiddleCovington | 6–8 | 594 | Public | 0.4 mi |
| Alleghany HighCovington | 9–12 | 818 | Public | 4.3 mi |
| Jackson River Tech CtrCovington | — | — | Career and Technical | 4.2 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rivermont School - Alleghany HighlandsCovington | K–12 | 34 | Nonsectarian | 0.9 mi |
| Boys HomeCovington | 5–12 | 34 | Episcopal | 2.8 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Mallow and Callaghan.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.