Covington County, Alabama: commercial real estate data.
Covington County, Alabama had an estimated 37,748 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 37,570, across 1,030 square miles. County output reached $1.66 bn in 2024, 864 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 10 7(a) approvals worth $6.8 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Covington County
How many people live in Covington County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202437,628
- Households14,642
- Average household size2.57
- Median household income$52,456
- Median age43.3
- Median gross rent$746 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$152,100
- Home value to household income2.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher17.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over26,425
- Population under 188,346
- Share under 1822.2 percent
- Population 65 and over8,355
- Share 65 and over22.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6420,927
- Civilian labor force15,724
- Unemployment rate5.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over53.7 percent
- Rank by population among Alabama counties31st of 67
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1267th of 3,222
Covington County is the 31st largest of 67 Alabama counties by population. A median home costs 2.9 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.2 percent against 22.2 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Covington County
Is Covington County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202437,748
- Census 2020 base population37,570
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.47 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-113
- Births, 2024393
- Deaths, 2024636
- Natural change, 2024-243
- Net domestic migration, 2024133
- Net international migration, 2024-1
- Total net migration, 2024132
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,286
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1664th of 3,144
The county has grown 0.47 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 by more than net migration added, so the population fell even though more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Covington County
Where are people moving to Covington County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving731
- People arriving, from those returns1,480
- Tax returns filed by households leaving556
- Net household movement175
- Adjusted gross income arriving$35.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$13.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$49,127
- Average income of a leaving household$40,302
- Largest single originOkaloosa County (65 households)
- Largest single destinationCoffee County (70 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Okaloosa County | 65 | 138 | $3.1 m |
| Coffee County | 54 | 106 | $3.2 m |
| Walton County | 37 | 93 | $1.6 m |
| Crenshaw County | 33 | 70 | $1.1 m |
| Escambia County | 31 | 56 | $1.4 m |
| Santa Rosa County | 25 | 54 | $1.3 m |
| Geneva County | 21 | 47 | $595,000 |
| Houston County | 20 | 41 | $714,000 |
Households arriving report $8,825 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Okaloosa County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Covington County
What is the Covington County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.66 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.59 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.7 percent
- GDP change over five years28.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Alabama areas BEA publishes32nd of 67
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1426th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$44,179
Output grew 4.7 percent in the latest year and 28.2 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Covington County
Employment by industry in Covington County
- Covered employment, annual average12,174
- Establishments reporting1,134
- Average annual pay$47,800
- Average weekly wage$919
- Retail trade, employment1,891
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,442
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,877
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$44,999
- Manufacturing, employment1,662
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$53,653
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,053
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$18,168
- Utilities, employment609
- Construction, employment559
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 1,891 | 204 | $33,442 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,877 | 197 | $44,999 |
| Manufacturing | 1,662 | 49 | $53,653 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,053 | 82 | $18,168 |
| Utilities | 609 | 8 | $102,551 |
| Construction | 559 | 93 | $55,738 |
| Wholesale trade | 496 | 35 | $55,706 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 404 | 41 | $39,794 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 1,891 jobs, 15.5 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Covington County
How many businesses are in Covington County?
- Establishments, all industries864
- Employment at those establishments9,841
- Annual payroll$435.0 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents23.0
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Covington County
Building permits in Covington County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202414
- Declared construction value permitted$3.3 m
- Single family units authorized14
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$236,075
- Units authorized per 1,000 households1.0
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Covington County
SBA loans in Covington County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded10
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$6.8 m
- Average 7(a) approval$682,300
- Median 7(a) approval$175,000
- Largest single approval$2,185,400
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)35
- Jobs per approval3.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active7
- Distinct industries receiving approvals9
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer10.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms1
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter6
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- 504 approvals recorded12
- 504 gross approval dollars$4.8 m
- Average 504 approval$397,083
- Median 504 approval$277,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval10.2
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved25.6
- Most active CDCSouthern Development Council (8)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$11.6 m
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Covington County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Covington County
Do SBA loans in Covington County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded2
- Paid in full1
- Charged off1
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure7
- Status: Cancelled1
- Status: Paid in full1
Only 2 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Covington County
SBA lending by place in Covington County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Opp, approvals5
- Andalusia, approvals3
- Florala, approvals1
- River Falls, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Opp | 5 | $5,078,000 |
| Andalusia | 3 | $1,585,000 |
| Florala | 1 | $150,000 |
| River Falls | 1 | $10,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Covington County
How large is Covington County?
- Land area1,030 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Alabama counties8th of 67
- Width, east to west30.4 mi
- Height, north to south37 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary8
- Residents per square mile of land37
- Establishments per square mile0.84
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Covington County
Flood risk in Covington County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Covington County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 010244
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book13
- Of those, participating in the NFIP9
- NFIP participation rate69.2 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Covington County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Covington County (community 010244), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Covington County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 69.2 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Covington County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Covington County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202437,628
- Households14,642
- Average household size2.57
- Median household income$52,456
- Median age43.3
Common questions
Covington County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Covington County, Alabama?
The Census Bureau estimates 37,748 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 37,628, in 14,642 households, ranking 31st of 67 Alabama counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Covington County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.47 percent since the 2020 census base of 37,570, to 37,748 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 393 births against 636 deaths, with net migration of 132. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Covington County?
$52,456. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $152,100, which is 2.9 times income, and median gross rent is $746 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Covington County?
864 establishments, employing 9,841 people with an annual payroll of $435.0 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Covington County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 1,891 jobs, 15.5 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 12,174 jobs at an average annual pay of $47,800, or $919 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Covington County?
10 7(a) approvals totaling $6.8 m since FY2020, across 7 lenders, with a median approval of $175,000, plus 12 504 approvals worth $4.8 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Covington County?
14 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $3.3 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Covington County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Covington County come from?
The largest single origin is Okaloosa County, with 65 households. Arriving households report an average income of $49,127 against $40,302 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Covington County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Covington County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Covington County
Cities and places in Covington.
14 Census places lie wholly or partly in Covington County. All 14 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andalusia | city | 8,766 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Opp | city | 6,709 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Florala | town | 1,822 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Babbie | town | 790 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Red Level | town | 621 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| River Falls | town | 403 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Lockhart | town | 359 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Carolina | town | 337 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Heath | town | 267 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Onycha | town | 238 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sanford | town | 232 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Horn Hill | town | 215 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Libertyville | town | 174 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Gantt | town | 168 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |