| Covington, Kentucky | |
|---|---|
| — City — | |
| Location in Kenton County, Kentucky, USA | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Kentucky |
| County | Kenton |
| Founded | 1815 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Commission-City Manager |
| • Mayor | Denny Bowman (D) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 13.7 sq mi (35.4 km2) |
| • Land | 13.1 sq mi (34.0 km2) |
| • Water | 0.5 sq mi (1.4 km2) |
| Elevation | 509 ft (155 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 40,640 |
| • Density | 3,301.3/sq mi (1,274.4/km2) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 41011-41012, 41014-41019 |
| Area code(s) | 859 |
| FIPS code | 21-17848 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0490167 |
| Website | www.covingtonky.gov |
Covington is a city in Kenton County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 40,640; it is the fifth-most-populous city in Kentucky.[1] It is one of two county seats of Kenton County.[2] Covington is located at the confluence of the Ohio and Licking Rivers. Covington is part of the Cincinnati – Northern Kentucky metropolitan area and is separated from Cincinnati by the Ohio River and from Newport by the Licking River. Covington is located within the Upland South region of the United States of America.
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Covington was established in 1814 when John Gano, Richard Gano, and Thomas Carneal purchased 150 acres (0.6 km2) on the west side of the Licking River at its confluence with the Ohio River, referred to as "the Point," from Thomas Kennedy for $50,000. The city was incorporated by the Kentucky General Assembly a year later. Covington experienced growth during most of the 19th century, only to decline during the Great Depression and the middle 20th century. The city has seen some redevelopment during the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
In 1912, city leaders attempted to acquire a baseball franchise in the Class D Blue Grass League; the Cincinnati Reds, whose park was just five miles away across the Ohio River, nixed the move. Instead (after several larger cities backed out), Covington was awarded a team in the new "outlaw" circuit, the Federal League.
The city raised $12,500, with $6,000 budgeted to build the ballpark. Bernard Wisehall, a prominent local architect, designed Federal Park (also known as Riverbreeze Park) with a capacity to 6,000. The playing field (bounded by East 2nd Street, East 3rd Street, Madison Avenue and Scott Boulevard [1]) was tiny, believed to be smallest for any pro baseball park ever built: just 194 feet down the right-field line, 267 feet to dead center and 218 feet down the left-field line. [2] Construction didn't even begin until a month before Opening Day; after starting the season on a long road trip, the Blue Sox managed to sell out their home opener in late May, with thousands of fans turned away.[3]
But Covington simply didn't have the populace to support such an ambitious endeavor. On June 26, the team moved to Kansas City and ownership of the team reverted to creditors. Federal Park was used for other events the next few years, but it was eventually torn down and a tobacco warehouse was put up in its place; Covington has never hosted a professional team in any sport since.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Covington has a total area of 13.7 square miles (35 km2), of which 13.1 square miles (34 km2) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km2) (3.88%) is water.
Covington is located within a climatic transition zone; it is nestled within the southern end of the humid continental climate zone and the northern periphery of the humid subtropical climate of the Upland South, with hot, humid summers and cool winters. Evidence of both a humid subtropical climate and a humid continental climate can be found here, particularly noticeable by the presence of plants indicative of each climatic region; for example, the Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) from the subtropics and the blue spruce from cooler regions are successful landscape plants in and around Covington.
| Climate data for Covington, Kentucky | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 77 (25) |
77 (25) |
88 (31) |
90 (32) |
95 (35) |
102 (39) |
108 (42) |
103 (39) |
101 (38) |
92 (33) |
83 (28) |
75 (24) |
108 (42) |
| Average high °F (°C) | 38 (3) |
44 (7) |
55 (13) |
66 (19) |
75 (24) |
83 (28) |
87 (31) |
86 (30) |
79 (26) |
67 (19) |
54 (12) |
43 (6) |
64.8 (18.2) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 23 (−5) |
27 (−3) |
35 (2) |
43 (6) |
54 (12) |
62 (17) |
67 (19) |
65 (18) |
58 (14) |
46 (8) |
37 (3) |
27 (−3) |
45.3 (7.4) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −16 (−27) |
−9 (−23) |
3 (−16) |
18 (−8) |
28 (−2) |
40 (4) |
48 (9) |
44 (7) |
32 (0) |
20 (−7) |
1 (−17) |
−13 (−25) |
−16 (−27) |
| Precipitation inches (mm) | 2.70 (68.6) |
2.30 (58.4) |
3.49 (88.6) |
3.81 (96.8) |
4.50 (114.3) |
3.71 (94.2) |
3.25 (82.6) |
3.46 (87.9) |
3.04 (77.2) |
2.80 (71.1) |
3.49 (88.6) |
3.02 (76.7) |
39.57 (1,005.1) |
| Source: The Weather Channel.[3] | |||||||||||||
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1830 | 743 |
|
|
| 1840 | 2,026 | 172.7% | |
| 1850 | 9,408 | 364.4% | |
| 1860 | 16,471 | 75.1% | |
| 1870 | 24,505 | 48.8% | |
| 1880 | 29,720 | 21.3% | |
| 1890 | 37,371 | 25.7% | |
| 1900 | 42,938 | 14.9% | |
| 1910 | 53,270 | 24.1% | |
| 1920 | 57,121 | 7.2% | |
| 1930 | 65,252 | 14.2% | |
| 1940 | 62,018 | −5.0% | |
| 1950 | 64,452 | 3.9% | |
| 1960 | 60,376 | −6.3% | |
| 1970 | 52,535 | −13.0% | |
| 1980 | 49,585 | −5.6% | |
| 1990 | 43,264 | −12.7% | |
| 2000 | 43,370 | 0.2% | |
| 2010 | 40,640 | −6.3% | |
| U.S. Census Bureau[4] | |||
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 43,370 people, 18,257 households, and 10,132 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,301.3 people per square mile (1,274.4/km²). There were 20,448 housing units at an average density of 1,556.5 per square mile (600.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.05% White, 10.14% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.63% from other races, and 1.57% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 1.38% of the population.
There were 18,257 households out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.3% were married couples living together, 16.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.5% were non-families. 36.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 3.08.
The age distribution was 25.9% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 33.3% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,735, and the median income for a family was $38,307. Males had a median income of $31,238 versus $24,487 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,841. About 15.5% of families and 18.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.0% of those under age 18 and 13.4% of those age 65 or over.
Omnicare and Ashland are based in Covington.
According to Covington's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[6] the top employers in the city are:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Elizabeth Healthcare | 6,300 |
| 2 | Fidelity Investments | 3,900 |
| 3 | Covington Independent Schools | 925 |
| 4 | Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington | 800 |
| 5 | ACNielsen | 400 |
| 6 | State of Kentucky | 360 |
| 7 | Omnicare | 325 |
| 8 | Club Chef | 300 |
| 9 | NorthKey | 280 |
| 10 | Atkins & Pearce | 225 |
Covington is served by Covington/Cincinatti Northern Kentucky International Airport.
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