Biohazard Cleanup Near Edgemont Covington, VA

Covington is an independent city in Virginia's Alleghany Highlands that is entirely surrounded by Alleghany County, for which it serves as the county seat.

Covington was named in honor of General Leonard Covington, a hero of the War of 1812 and a friend of both James Madison and Thomas Jefferson.

The city sits at the confluence of the Jackson River and Dunlap Creek.

The population of Covington was 5,737 at the 2020 census, making it the second-least populous city in Virginia.

According to Census QuickFacts, Covington had 2,576 households in 2020-2024, averaging 2.17 persons per household.

Covington boomed as an industrial city in the railroad era, growing from just 704 people in 1890 to 5,632 people in 1920.

Covington's economy is dominated by the WestRock paper mill, which has operated in the city since 1899, employs about 1,300 workers, and produces bleached paper and paperboard for packaging at what is described as the second-largest such facility on the East Coast.

The Covington mill's output is shipped worldwide, and state officials have described WestRock as the largest packaged exporter from the Port of Virginia.

In 2018 WestRock announced a $248.4 million investment over five years in its Covington and Alleghany County operations, funding new equipment and retraining for 60 existing employees.

Alleghany County, which Covington serves as seat, was created in 1822 from parts of Botetourt, Bath, and Monroe counties and was named for the Allegheny Mountains along its western edge.