Covington, Tennessee, is Tipton County’s economic and cultural hub. This city on the rural outskirts of the Memphis metro houses one of the largest ice cream plants in the world and boasts a historic downtown with preserved and renovated properties. Local attractions include a festival and a couple of sites dedicated to Isaac Hayes, the Covington-born legend behind genre-defining hits like the “Theme from Shaft” and “Soul Man.”
In addition to these perks, many here appreciate the city’s close-knit community. “The people here are very friendly. Of course, we’re in the South, so you would expect that. But we wave at each other even if we don’t know them. Walking at Walmart, we’ll hold the door for each other, we’ll speak. It’s kind of a little happy place here,” says city Alderwoman Jean Johnson.
Covington is home to a variety of historic buildings.
Isaac Hayes was born in Covington in 1942.
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From Queen Anne to new Traditional homes
Covington has many historic homes in a protected district. Houses include Queen Anne homes, Colonial Revivals and Craftsman bungalows. Meanwhile, neighborhoods farther away from downtown have Traditional and ranch-style homes. Costs for most single-family homes here run between $100,000 and $300,000. Covington’s median price of $218,000 is slightly over Memphis’, which is touted for its affordability.
Covington feautures a good deal of early to mid 20th century homes.
Covington features impressive Queen Ann and Victorian homes.
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Cafes and downhome cooking around Tipton County Courthouse square
The downtown square has a mix of restaurants and shops that carry items like flowers, clothes and antiques. Eateries include several cafes and staples serving American comfort foods and downhome cooking — as shown through places like the Court Square Cafe. Many also don’t mind making the 13-mile drive to Mason to try its dining scene. In addition to more barbecue, Mason is home to the first Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, a West Tennessee institution with locations in several states. With a Walmart and a few other chain stores, Covington is Tipton County’s retail hub.
Covington's town square is the pride of the city.
Dulce Amada Bakery is one of Covington's several cute shops and restaurants around the town square.
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The Chocolate Tour and celebrating Southern soul legend
Modeled after the Holiday season celebration in Franklin, Tennessee, the city hosts the Dickens Christmas, which sees carolers and many others decked out in Victorian-era outfits. In February, the Chocolate Tour in the square invites businesses to make and serve chocolate desserts. Around Hayes’ birthday in August, the community celebrates one of its most famous sons at Frazier Park. The event brings out vendors and live bands who cover several of Hayes’ hits. September’s Heritage Festival involves more live music and arts and craft vendors.
Biking and swimming around Cobb-Parr Memorial Park
Covington’s recreational amenities include parks, a sportsplex with racket sports and fitness rooms and an 18-hole golf course at the Covington Country Club. One of the signature outdoor sites, Cobb-Parr Memorial Park’s amenities span from a vast all-inclusive playground to a bike skills park. Cobb-Parr is also home to the Covington Aquatic Center. The Hatchie River north of the city is a destination for anglers looking to hook bass.
The Hatchie River is a local fishing spot that flows just north of Covington.
Cobb-Parr Memorial Park features several baseball fields, a playground, bike track, and more.
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Served by Tipton County Schools
The Tipton County Schools district serves the city and gets a B grade from Niche. The schools serving the city are Crestview Elementary, Crestview Middle and Covington High, which all get B-minus grades from Niche. A tornado in 2023 destroyed the two Crestview schools, prompting the construction of two temporary locations. Plans call for a new combined elementary and middle school to open by the start of the 2025-2026 school year. “We’re a close-knit little city. When something tragic happens, we all normally pull together and take care of whatever the situation is,” Johnson says.
Covington's schools are overseen by Tipton County Schools.
Covington High School is the proud home of The Chargers.
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Sweets industry and BlueOval City
Major companies with locations here include Unilever, which makes ice cream brands like Klondike and Breyers. Charms, a Tootsie Roll subsidiary, has also long operated a production plant in the city. Covington is among the West Tennessee localities expected to supply some of the workers for BlueOval City in Haywood County. The massive Ford complex, to only be about 20 miles from Covington, will produce electric pickup trucks and batteries. Other notable employers in Covington include Baptist Memorial Hospital-Titpon.
Despite being the county’s seat and economic hub, Covington falls right behind neighbor Atoka in size. U.S. Census figures show Covington’s population of about 8,500 people is a dip from 2020 and 2010.
Covington sits right along U.S. Highway 51, which connects it to several other West Tennessee localities. The highway goes to downtown Memphis, about 50 minutes south. Located about an hour from Covington, the Memphis International Airport is the region’s destination for commercial flights.
Important to know
Like much of the South, Covington experiences warm, humid summers and mild winters with little to no snowfall. However, as indicated by the 2023 incident, tornadoes do occur here. National Weather Service data shows West Tennessee received a couple tornadoes in 2024 and 11 the year prior.
The latest FBI stats show Covington’s property and violent crime rates are over 60% higher than Tennessee’s. Despite some drops in the late 2010s, crime has inched up since 2022. However, Covington’s crime rates are far lower than Memphis. “We don’t nearly have as much as Memphis does, as far as crime … and we’re proud to say that,” Johnson says.
Written By
Yann Ranaivo
Photography Contributed By
Aaron Bloodworth
Video By
Derek Fowler
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