PlainZIP

Covington, VA · standard

ZIP Code 24426

Alleghany County, Virginia - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

14,329
17/sq mi
$55,138
Median income
$115,500
Median home value
11.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Covington pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

21th pct
household income, US ZIPs
15th pct
home value, US ZIPs
17
people per sq mi
80%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 24426 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 24426 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Covington, Alleghany County, Virginia, home to 14,329 residents across 863.2 square miles, a density of 17 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 24426 reports a modest median household income of $55,138 (36% below the Virginia average), while per-capita income is $31,853. 15.2% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 2.2%. Housing costs here run $115,500 for a typical home value (65% below the state average), with rent averaging $793 a month; 79.6% of homes are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 11.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45.4, and the average commute is 21 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 1 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 24426, plus 4 more within Alleghany County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 24426

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Covington, VA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 24426.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 24426, Covington, VA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

14,329

Population

863.2

Area (sq mi)

17

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 24426?

45.4

Median Age

46.8%

Male

53.2%

Female

2.2%

Foreign-Born

White 89.6%
African American 6.7%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 1.8%
Hispanic or Latino 2.5%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$55,138

Median Household Income

-36% vs state

$31,853

Per Capita Income

15.2%

Poverty Rate

2.2%

Unemployment Rate

21.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 24426 ranks nationally

Covington, VA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$55,138 21st percentile higher than 21% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 59.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 11.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

7,246

Total Housing Units

6,063

Occupied Units

1,183

Vacant Units

2.26

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 79.6%
Renter 20.4%

$115,500

Median Home Value

-65% vs state

$793

Median Rent

1967

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+22.8%

YoY Change (2024)

218

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+118%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 24426 have increased 22.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +118% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.9% 150
2021 +5.9% 159
2022 +8.6% 173
2023 +2.8% 177
2024 +22.8% 218

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 304 business establishments in ZIP 24426, employing approximately 4,237 people with a combined annual payroll of $252,503,000.

304

Businesses

4,237

Employees

$252.5M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Other services (except public administration) 55 18.1%
Retail trade 52 17.1%
Construction 31 10.2%
Accommodation and food services 31 10.2%
Health care and social assistance 21 6.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 20 6.6%
Finance and insurance 17 5.6%
Manufacturing 14 4.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 12 4.0%
Transportation and warehousing 10 3.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 10 3.3%
Wholesale trade 9 3.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 8 2.6%
Information 6 2.0%
Educational services 5 1.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 24426 vs 24986 →

ZIP Code City Population Distance
24986 White Sulphur Springs, WV 5,216 11.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Alleghany County

24422 standard
Clifton Forge, VA
Pop: 6,315
24474 standard
Selma, VA
Pop: 544
24448 standard
Iron Gate, VA
Pop: 376
24457 standard
Low Moor, VA
Pop: 270

Related Areas

Alleghany County Covington, VA Virginia

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 24426 in? ▼
ZIP code 24426 (Covington) is located in Alleghany County, Virginia. Alleghany County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/alleghany-va.
What is the population of ZIP code 24426? ▼
ZIP code 24426 in Covington, VA has a population of 14,329 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 24426? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 24426 is $55,138, which is 28% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 24426? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 24426 is $115,500, which is 58% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 24426? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 24426 is White at 89.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 24426? ▼
ZIP code 24426 has 304 business establishments employing approximately 4,237 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 24426? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 24426 are: Other services (except public administration) (55), Retail trade (52), Construction (31). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 24426? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 24426 increased by 22.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 118%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 24426? ▼
In ZIP code 24426, 59.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 11.3% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 24426? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 24426 is 21.3 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 24426? ▼
In ZIP code 24426, approximately 79.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 20.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 24426? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 24426 is 15.2% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.