Fort Thomas receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fort Thomas
Covington
Opportunity
64 · Top 33%
vs55 · Bottom 48%
Growth
29 · Bottom 16%
vs75 · Top 10%
Climate
69 · Bottom 46%
vs69 · Bottom 46%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 29%
vs78 · Top 26%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 13%
vs95 · Top 19%
Schools
88 · Top 5%
vs23 · Bottom 15%
Access
98 · Top 20%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
76 · Top 15%
vs44 · Bottom 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Fort Thomas | Covington | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,169 | 41,110 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $104,350 | $61,166 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $54,407 | $37,216 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,026/sq mi | 3,123/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $335,000 | $187,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,126 | $1,006 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.2% | 51.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.2% | -0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 55.3% | 32.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.1% | 20.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6 | 242 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 5.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -45.5% | 84.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.4" | 43.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 23.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.8 | 37.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.51 | 13.90 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 61.9% | 20.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 66.4% | 36.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 9.1% | 80.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Fort Thomas
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Covington
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Fort Thomas
75
Your Score
72
Area Score
Covington
67
Your Score
66
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Fort Thomas, KY · Covington, KY · How this is calculated: methodology