The area presently known as Covington was originally known as Jenkins Prairie. Between 1899 and 1900, the Northern Pacific Railway built the Palmer Cutoff between Auburn and Palmer to improve the company's primary east–west rail route across Stampede Pass. Richard Covington, a surveyor for the Northern Pacific, worked out of Fort Vancouver establishing the line from St. Paul, Minnesota, to Auburn.[5]
In 1900, during the building of the Palmer Cutoff, the Northern Pacific built several facilities in Covington. These included a 2,850-foot passing track, a 700-foot loading track, a second-class section house, a 24-man bunkhouse, a box tank, and a standpipe for watering steam locomotives.[5] By 1908, the settlement was also home to the Covington Lumber Company, which had set up a mill capable of cutting 85,000 board feet of timber a day. NP's operations at Covington continued until the Great Depression; the facilities were then removed in 1941.[citation needed]
Dairies replaced lumber as the predominant industry in the Covington area by the 1920s; several irrigation canals were dug from local creeks to provide water during dry periods.[5] A school district for Covington was established in 1937.[6] Over the years, the area grew as an unincorporated area outside of Kent and was designated as a suburban development hub by the county government.[5] A local citizens' group formed to incorporate Covington as its own city to control development planning; an attempt to also include Lake Meridian in the proposed city failed and it was instead annexed by Kent.[5] The vote to incorporate Covington as a city passed on November 6, 1996, the same day a similar measure created neighboring Maple Valley.[7] Covington was officially incorporated as a city on August 31, 1997, and had approximately 12,200 residents at the time.[5]
Geography
Covington is located in southern King County.[8] The city is surrounded by Kent to the west, Auburn to the southwest, and Maple Valley to the east.[9]Pipe Lake is located in Covington and adjacent Maple Valley.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.04 square miles (15.64 km2), of which, 5.93 square miles (15.36 km2) is land and 0.11 square miles (0.28 km2) is water.[1]
Economy
With its rapid population growth since the city's incorporation, much of the city's income depends on the retail industry. The city's retail core, which largely developed in the 2000s, is located along the State Route 516 corridor.
Covington is also a regional medical hub for southeast King County with MultiCare Health Systems and Valley Medical Center each having facilities in the city. MultiCare opened a four-story hospital serving the city in 2018 with 58 beds, emergency rooms, and a family birth center.[10]
The city is governed by a council-manager government consisting of a seven-person city council. Members are elected at-large, (that is, each is elected by all citizens of the city, not by districts).
Covington, Washington – Racial Composition[13] (NH = Non-Hispanic) Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.
As of the 2010 census, there were 17,575 people, 5,817 households, and 4,649 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,998.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,157.6/km2). There were 6,081 housing units at an average density of 1,037.7 per square mile (400.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 76.1% (13,378) White, 4.2% (741) African American, 0.8% (145) Native American, 8.5% (1,491) Asian, 0.6% (100) Pacific Islander, 3.9% (694) from other races, and 5.8% (1,026) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.3% (1,634) of the population.
There were 5,817 households, of which 46.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.2% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 20.1% were non-families. 14.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.31.
The median age in the city was 34.7 years. 28.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.9% were from 25 to 44; 27.4% were from 45 to 64; and 6.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.0% male and 50.0% female.
2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 13,783 people, 4,398 households, and 3,689 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,389.8 inhabitants per square mile (922.7/km2). There were 4,473 housing units at an average density of 775.5 inhabitants per square mile (299.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 87.88% White, 2.44% African American, 1.02% Native American, 3.12% Asian, 0.22% Pacific Islander, 1.80% from other races, and 3.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.48% of the population.
There were 4,398 households, 52.2% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.1% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.1% were non-families. 11.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.13 and the average family size was 3.37.
In the city the population was spread out, with 33.8% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 36.2% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 3.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $63,711, and the median income for a family was $65,173. Males had a median income of $48,134 versus $34,576 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,230. About 2.1% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.
Parks and recreation
The City of Covington maintains a year-round aquatic center.[16] The city also offers basketball, baseball, football and soccer youth leagues from pre-k through 8th grade, recreation classes, and special events. The city is also home to eight city-run parks, and one municipally maintained trail.[17]
Infrastructure
Transportation
The city's principal arterial is State Route 516, known locally as Southeast 272nd Street or Kent-Kangley Road, which runs through the city on its west–east route from Des Moines to Maple Valley. The only freeway that passes through the city is State Route 18, which passes through the city on a northeast–southwest route.[9] State Route 18, which connects Interstate 90 near Snoqualmie and Interstate 5 in Federal Way, is a major route used by vehicles traveling between south King County and Eastern Washington.
Covington contracts with the King County Sheriff's Office for police services. Deputies assigned to Covington wear Covington uniforms and drive patrol cars marked with the city logo. There are currently 12 patrol officers, one chief, one sergeant, one school resource officer, one traffic officer, and one detective assigned full-time to the city.[18]
Covington is part of the Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority (RFA), along with the cities of Kent, and SeaTac and portions of unincorporated King County. The city's first fire station opened in 2009; it is a 17,385-square foot building located on Southeast 256th Street. The RFA's board meetings are conducted in the Covington fire station.[19][20][21]
