The seat of St. Tammany Parish, Covington is a long-established community north of Lake Pontchartrain. Along with neighboring Mandeville, Madisonville and Abita Springs, it’s part of what locals call the Northshore, the collection of cities and towns north of New Orleans, connected to the Big Easy by the lengthy, linear Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. Aesthetically, the old world is alive and well in downtown Covington, where numerous landmarks speak to the early 1800s history of southern Louisiana. Even the public parking lots in downtown are historic, predating the invention of the automobile, back when the spaces were used as ox lots for farmers who came to town to sell their goods. But the city of 11,000 has also adapted to the modern world. Old storefronts now house galleries, museums and coffee shops, while former bastions of Black nightlife have transitioned into quieter residential neighborhoods. Beyond history, residents take pride in their city’s growing economic opportunities and lively event calendar. "I learned a long time ago that the more residents know about the history of their community, the more connected they feel to the community, the more involved they want to be in the community," says Mayor Mark Johnson.
Explore colorful art at Marianne Angeli Rodriguez Gallery in Covington.
Relax by the water and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere at Sunset Point Park.
Visit Covington’s historic ox lots, a nod to its agricultural past.
Historic downtown Covington offers a charming street scene to explore.
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Southern Louisiana architecture and new affordable housing
The leafy streets of Covington spread across most of the area between the Tchefuncte River and Bogue Falaya, including a small downtown surrounded by a grid of suburban neighborhoods that taper off into rural areas. Because it's impossible to reach the city without crossing a bridge, locals often cheekily refer to Covington as an island. "In the 1800s, we were the northernmost port on Lake Pontchartrain," Mayor Johnson says. "People would come up the river to the Columbia Street Landing, where today we have concerts on the third Friday of each month. 1898 is when the train came down Gibson Street, and the center of economy sort of drifted from the port to the center of town, where the train depot was." The city's architectural heritage is on full display in town center, providing an array of designs popular across southern Louisiana, including two-story gallery homes, shotgun doubles, and Acadian, Creole and Craftsman cottages. Downriver, the city's premier neighborhoods, Old Covington and Old Landing, include larger homes in a variety of regional designs, especially French-inspired Colonial Revivals. New construction has also come into these areas, though not as vigorously as in some of the city's less affluent neighborhoods, namely the West 30s. "As a city and as a community, we've come together and taken some strong actions and have noticeably improved the quality of life of those residents," Mayor Johnson says. "We actually have a nonprofit that has built affordable housing in the neighborhood and then works with residents financially." Covington remains a buyer's market. The median price of a single-family home is around $340,000, generally in line with nearby markets like Metairie or New Orleans. But prices vary dramatically: Cottages in the West 30s needing repairs sell for around $80,000, while new construction in Old Covington can sell for over $1.2 million.
Stroll Covington’s tree-lined streets for scenic southern beauty.
A shotgun double in Covington’s West 30s preserves classic architecture.
Covington’s Old Covington features cozy Acadian-style cottages.
Affordable housing developments enhance life in Covington’s West 30s.
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Historic downtown dining and big-box stores at Claiborne Hill Shopping Center
The Covington Historic District, known by locals as Saint John, is the primary place for entertainment. A downtown revitalization project has improved the city's central area with simple but effective interventions, like streetlights and improved sanitation, plus a windfall of new businesses, including numerous new restaurants. Several old favorites have stuck around, too. Located in the oldest structure in Covington, The Chimes is a local favorite for Louisiana cooking, right on the banks of the Bogue Falaya. For errands, residents often cross Bogue Falaya to the Claiborne Hill shopping center on Tammany Parkway, where numerous big-box stores can be found.
Downtown Covington’s restaurant row offers a variety of dining options.
Claiborne Hill Shopping Center provides convenient shopping in Covington.
Enjoy Louisiana cuisine at The Chimes, a Covington favorite by the river.
The Bogue Falaya Bridge near The Chimes connects scenic Covington.
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The Tammany Trace and city parks on the National Register of Historic Places
Covington marks the beginning of the Tammany Trace Trail, a 31-mile hike and bike trail that extends east all the way to Slidell, passing through Abita Springs, Mandeville and Lacombe and offering connections with parks across the parish, like Fontainebleau State Park. Several public boat launches throughout Covington allow residents to float south along the Tchefuncte River to other parks in St. Tammany Parish, like Fairview-Riverside State Park. At the south end of New Hampshire Street, historic gates open up to Bogue Falaya Wayside Park, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the trails and relax in the park at Tammany Trace Trailhead.
Relax by the river at Bogue Falaya Park’s peaceful pavilion.
Watch the sun dip below the horizon from the pier at Fontainebleau Park.
Families enjoy relaxing walks at Riverside Park North.
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Free outdoor concerts and zumba with the mayor
Although New Orleans, roughly 40 miles south, is the beating heart of arts and culture in Southern Louisiana, Covington pulls its weight with a number of art galleries and a local history museum downtown, which occupies an old-timey hardware store. There was a time when Covington neighborhoods, namely the West 30s, housed a number of Black-owned music halls and social clubs where famous New Orleans musicians like Fats Domino and Irma Thomas played. Today, a small, shady plaza at the Tammany Trace trailhead offers free outdoor concerts every Thursday in October and April. "It's surrounded by restaurants and a beer garden. It's just a wonderful place to host those events," Mayor Johnson says. "We have a couple of concerts and festivals in Bogue Falaya Wayside Park. But the park is one way in, one way out, and so all the parking comes into a residential neighborhood. So, the Trailhead is actually better." Covington also hosts the Three Rivers Art Festival, one of the largest juried art festivals in the Southeast. In a nod to the area’s more conservative side, the trailhead is also home to the world's largest statue of Ronald Reagan. As for today’s leader, Mayor Johnson can be spotted at least once a month dressed like Elvis Presley, driving a golf cart through town on his way to lead a public Zumba class.
Visitors enjoy the Ronald Reagan statue at Tammany Trace Trailhead.
Mayor Johnson leads a lively Zumba class in downtown Covington.
Saladino Gallery adds artistic flair to Covington’s downtown.
Celebrate art and culture at Covington’s Three Rivers Art Festival.
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Commutes across the Pontchartrain Causeway
Following Katrina, the petroleum refining company Chevron moved its Gulf of Mexico headquarters from New Orleans to Covington, which brought hundreds of jobs to the city. Since then, additional major employers have popped up in Covington, including the Zen-Noh Grain Corporation and telecom company Globalstar. The St. Tammany Parish Hospital, the leading healthcare facility in the area, is also a major employer for the city. Covington is also home to Tulane University's National Primate Research Center, a leading infectious disease research facility that offers training and educational opportunities for undergrad and post-grad students, as well as professional opportunities for visiting researchers. Covington is one small part in a commute-heavy region. Every morning and evening, thousands of drivers cross the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, a 23-mile-long straight shot to New Orleans. Some are traveling to Covington while others are traveling from it. That makes Covington highly subject to different traffic flows throughout the day, with rush hour slowdowns constant on major roads and highways. To circumvent the gridlock, the city adopted some alternative road designs. "We have thousands of people that come into the city each day, and then thousands who leave each afternoon. So, this is where the traffic challenge comes from," Mayor Johnson says. "We've embraced roundabouts, and we have a couple more under design that will help channel the traffic on some of the main arteries and make it easier to get in and out of town." The city does not offer public transportation, aside from on-demand bus service through STAR Transit, a regional authority. As an alternative, many residents make trips around town using golf carts.
Visitors love watching the lake shimmer at Sunset Point Park.
Zen-Noh Grain is a key part of Covington’s thriving economy.
Covington’s Chevron office complex drives local economic growth.
Globalstar contributes innovation and jobs to Covington’s community.
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A top-10 school district statewide
Covington is part of the St. Tammany Parish Public School District, which receives a Niche rating of A-minus while being ranked the 10th-best district in Louisiana. Nearly 40,000 students are spread across 55 schools in a school system that also earns distinction for its athletics, ranked the 6th-best in Louisiana. The district consistently earns the 2nd-highest ACT scores of any district in the state, and many older students also take advantage of the district's dual-enrollment program with Northshore Technical Community College, the largest of any such program in Louisiana.
Scenic riverfront views define afternoons at Bogue Falaya Wayside Park.
Covington’s water tower stands tall as a local landmark.
Saint Paul’s School encourages students to grow academically and personally every day.
Teachers at Covington High School motivate students to reach their full potential.
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Things to consider
Southern Louisiana is among the most flood-prone regions in the U.S., and Covington is no exception. The rivers that skirt past Covington create expansive flood zones that capture a decent share of the city's residential areas. Many homeowners are thus required to purchase a flood insurance policy. "We're about eight miles inland, so we're really not subject to storm surges," Mayor Johnson says. "We are subject to heavy rains upstream from us. A big, big rain up in the Folsom area means all of that watershed eventually comes right through Covington." Mitigation primarily takes the form of upstream retention ponds and the clearing of debris from tributaries every two years. The city also implemented a low-impact development plan to improve drainage within Covington, which includes green infrastructure solutions to help with drainage, including bioswales and permeable paving materials. The northern parts of Covington also tend to have higher crime rates than the southern parts. For example, the West 30s has a CAP Index score of 6, which is 2 points higher than the national average, while Covington's southernmost neighborhood, Old Landing, has a CAP Index score of 2. But recent interventions have helped curtail violent crime across the city, including in the West 30s and downtown, which also has an above average CAP Index score. "We introduced a very proactive police department," Mayor Johnson says.
Families gather at Tammany Trace Trailhead for fun and live music.
Live music at the Tammany Trace Trail adds rhythm to Covington life.
An old downtown building in Covington highlights its rich history.
Enjoy seafood favorites at Half Shell Oyster House in Covington.
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