HomeMississippiCovington County
Covington County, Mississippi: commercial real estate data.
Covington County, Mississippi had an estimated 18,015 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.8 percent since the 2020 census base of 18,339, across 414 square miles. County output reached $1.02 bn in 2024, 328 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 163 7(a) approvals worth $53.6 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 2020-202418,148
- Households7,323
- Average household size2.48
- Median household income$45,051
- Median age37.3
- Median gross rent$662 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$105,100
- Home value to household income2.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher17.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over12,235
- Population under 184,410
- Share under 1824.3 percent
- Population 65 and over3,199
- Share 65 and over17.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6410,539
- Civilian labor force7,535
- Unemployment rate3.5 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over54.8 percent
- Rank by population among Mississippi counties50th of 82
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1983rd of 3,222
Covington County is the 50th largest of 82 Mississippi counties by population. A median home costs 2.3 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 24.3 percent against 17.6 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, 202418,015
- Census 2020 base population18,339
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.77 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-5
- Births, 2024243
- Deaths, 2024265
- Natural change, 2024-22
- Net domestic migration, 202422
- Net international migration, 2024-6
- Total net migration, 202416
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-71
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2440th of 3,144
The county has lost 1.77 percent of its population 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 arriving360
- People arriving, from those returns719
- Tax returns filed by households leaving393
- Net household movement-33
- Adjusted gross income arriving$14.8 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-848,000
- Average income of an arriving household$41,175
- Average income of a leaving household$39,875
- Largest single originLamar County (53 households)
- Largest single destinationForrest County (59 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamar County | 53 | 113 | $2.7 m |
| Forrest County | 41 | 73 | $1.2 m |
| Simpson County | 38 | 83 | $1.1 m |
| Jones County | 36 | 68 | $1.3 m |
| Smith County | 25 | 62 | $933,000 |
Households arriving report $1,300 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 Lamar 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$1.02 bn
- County GDP, 2023$882.8 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 202415.9 percent
- GDP change over five years68.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Mississippi areas BEA publishes35th of 82
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1824th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$56,367
Output grew 15.9 percent in the latest year and 68.8 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 average5,783
- Establishments reporting389
- Average annual pay$44,659
- Average weekly wage$859
- Manufacturing, employment1,607
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$49,703
- Retail trade, employment656
- Retail trade, average annual pay$30,764
- Construction, employment533
- Construction, average annual pay$50,379
- Health care and social assistance, employment324
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$44,328
- Transportation and warehousing, employment250
- Finance and insurance, employment112
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,607 | 17 | $49,703 |
| Retail trade | 656 | 80 | $30,764 |
| Construction | 533 | 42 | $50,379 |
| Health care and social assistance | 324 | 28 | $44,328 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 250 | 32 | $85,214 |
| Finance and insurance | 112 | 22 | $49,691 |
| Wholesale trade | 84 | 15 | $54,236 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 55 | 24 | $54,089 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,607 jobs, 27.8 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 industries328
- Employment at those establishments4,434
- Annual payroll$171.1 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents18.1
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, 20240
- Declared construction value permitted$0
- Single family units authorized0
- Multifamily units authorized0
No residential units were authorized by permit in 2024. In a small county this is common and is not by itself a sign of distress, but it does mean there is no recent residential pipeline to read demand from.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Covington County
SBA loans in Covington County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded163
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$53.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$329,029
- Median 7(a) approval$101,500
- 10th percentile approval$16,800
- 90th percentile approval$714,360
- Largest single approval$4,467,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)1,274
- Jobs per approval7.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active12
- Distinct industries receiving approvals45
- Median 7(a) term60 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer6.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms11
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter136
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countBeef Cattle Ranching and Farming (30)
- Most active lenderPeoples Bank (69)
The average approval of $329,029 sits well above the median of $101,500, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 6.7 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 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 recorded88
- Paid in full88
- Charged off0
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans0.0 percent
- Status: Paid in full88
- Status: Exempt from disclosure60
- Status: Cancelled9
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed6
Of the 88 loans that have reached a final outcome, 0.0 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
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
- Collins, approvals102
- Seminary, approvals40
- Mount Olive, approvals19
- Sumrall, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Collins | 102 | $28,736,400 |
| Seminary | 40 | $19,326,300 |
| Mount Olive | 19 | $5,427,500 |
| Sumrall | 2 | $141,600 |
Collins accounts for 102 approvals against 40 in Seminary. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
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 area414 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Mississippi counties72nd of 82
- Width, east to west21 mi
- Height, north to south25.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land44
- Establishments per square mile0.79
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 280291
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book4
- Of those, participating in the NFIP4
- NFIP participation rate100.0 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 280291), 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. 100.0 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 2020-202418,148
- Households7,323
- Average household size2.48
- Median household income$45,051
- Median age37.3
Common questions
Covington County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Covington County, Mississippi?
The Census Bureau estimates 18,015 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 18,148, in 7,323 households, ranking 50th of 82 Mississippi counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Covington County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.77 percent since the 2020 census base of 18,339, to 18,015 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 243 births against 265 deaths, with net migration of 16. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Covington County?
$45,051. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $105,100, which is 2.3 times income, and median gross rent is $662 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Covington County?
328 establishments, employing 4,434 people with an annual payroll of $171.1 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?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,607 jobs, 27.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 5,783 jobs at an average annual pay of $44,659, or $859 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?
163 7(a) approvals totaling $53.6 m since FY2020, across 12 lenders, with a median approval of $101,500. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Covington County get paid back?
Of the 88 loans that have reached a final outcome, 88 were paid in full and 0 charged off, a charge-off rate of 0.0 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Covington County?
No residential units were authorized by permit in 2024. 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 Lamar County, with 53 households. Arriving households report an average income of $41,175 against $39,875 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.
3 Census places lie wholly or partly in Covington County. All 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collins | city | 2,455 | 102 | Wholly in this county |
| Mount Olive | town | 1,110 | 19 | Wholly in this county |
| Seminary | town | 229 | 40 | Wholly in this county |
A further 2 of the county's 163 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Covington County, the largest being Sumrall (2). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.