In early 2023, President Joe Biden became the first sitting president to visit Covington in over eight decades. Biden not only gave a speech on bipartisanship — he also crucially, per a post on the city's website, “came bearing money.”
That funding, earmarked for improvements to the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor, is just one of many recent investments into Covington’s development. The northern Kentucky town is also working to repurpose a 23-acre IRS site into a mixed-use neighborhood complete with homes, stores and a riverside park; subsidize small businesses like the veteran-owned Hawaiian restaurant KeAloha’s Kitchen; and expand transportation options with bike lanes, wider sidewalks and electric vehicle charging stations.
Nicknamed the Cov, it may be a suburb of Cincinnati (which indeed is minutes away, just across the Ohio River), but Covington has a style all its own. Its Mainstrasse Village boasts murals — including one of KFC’s Colonel Sanders in outer space — and the German-style Chimes Clock Tower, which features a mechanical puppet show every hour in certain months. Nearby, residents can enjoy a stellar view of the Cincy skyline at Devou Park or sample one (or two, or three) of the dozens of bourbons served at The Globe.
Covington has one of the lowest median home listing prices on our list of Best Places to Live, making it an affordable place to put down roots. From a community standpoint, the city puts heavy emphasis on inclusivity: It’s home to the Esperanza Latino Center, has banned conversion therapy, recognizes Juneteenth and hosts NKY Pride every summer. You’ll fit right in.
