LaGrange receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
LaGrange
Covington
Opportunity
72 · Top 19%
vs66 · Top 29%
Growth
82 · Top 4%
vs62 · Top 29%
Climate
81 · Top 16%
vs79 · Top 19%
Physical resilience
75 · Top 31%
vs70 · Top 35%
Housing affordability
52 · Bottom 12%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Schools
45 · Bottom 42%
vs40 · Bottom 36%
Access
66 · Bottom 10%
vs76 · Bottom 17%
Economic stability
41 · Bottom 19%
vs42 · Bottom 20%
Measured values
| Metric | LaGrange | Covington | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,078 | 14,584 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $43,708 | $58,810 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,439 | $32,109 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 759/sq mi | 921/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $216,300 | $301,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,073 | $1,191 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 39.7% | 48.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.5% | 1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.9% | 27.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.9% | 20.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 562 | 98 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 17.5 | 6.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 70.8% | -77.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 55 mi | 34 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 36.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.0 | 37.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 16 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.98 | 17.15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 30.3% | 26.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 29.2% | 34.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 91.1% | 84.4% | 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
LaGrange
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Covington
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: LaGrange, GA · Covington, GA · How this is calculated: methodology