Covington Real Estate

Covington, Georgia

Covington is the county seat of Newton County, located roughly 35 miles east of Downtown Atlanta along Interstate 20. Exits 90, 92, and 93 all serve the city, and U.S. Route 278 along with Georgia State Routes 36, 81, and 142 provide additional connections through the area. From SRA Signature Realty's office in Tucker, the drive to Covington generally runs along I-285 to I-20 East, a route that continues well past the Perimeter into Newton County.

From Newtonsboro to a Railroad City

The city was founded in the early 1820s under the name Newtonsboro before being renamed within the year to honor Brigadier General Leonard Covington, a War of 1812 officer. It was incorporated as a town soon after and chartered as a city in 1854, not long after the railroad reached the area in 1845 and accelerated its growth as a commercial center for the surrounding cotton country. Covington served as the seat of Newton County government from the county's earliest days, a role it continues to hold today, and much of the historic downtown grew up around that early administrative and commercial function.

A Square Full of History

Covington's historic downtown square is anchored by the Newton County Courthouse, an 1884 Second Empire-style building designed by the firm Bruce and Morgan and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The square and the surrounding Covington and North Covington Historic Districts preserve antebellum and Victorian-era architecture that survived Sherman's march through the area in 1864. Nearby, the Floyd Street Historic District and the Covington Mills property add further protected sites to the city's collection, and Salem Camp Ground, one of the longest-running camp meeting sites in Georgia, contributes another layer of history close by. Together, these sites give Covington one of the more architecturally intact downtown cores in this part of Georgia.

A Familiar Backdrop On Screen

Covington's preserved downtown and tree-lined residential streets have made it a favored filming location for decades, appearing in productions including "In the Heat of the Night," "The Dukes of Hazzard," "The Vampire Diaries," and scenes from "My Cousin Vinny." For eight seasons, Covington's square and surrounding streets stood in for the fictional town of Mystic Falls, Virginia, in "The Vampire Diaries," and several downtown storefronts became recognizable backdrops for the show. Fans of these productions still visit the square to see the courthouse and storefronts in person, and the city's film history has become part of its everyday identity.

Homes Known for Their Character

Covington has long carried the nickname "the City of Beautiful Homes," a reflection of the antebellum and Victorian houses that line streets near the historic districts. Beyond the historic core, the city includes traditional single-family neighborhoods built up over the decades, giving buyers a choice between preserved historic architecture and more conventional suburban housing within the same city limits. Covington is also known locally as "a full-service city," since the local government owns and operates its own utilities, a detail that reflects the community's long history of local self-sufficiency. Wide front porches, tall windows, and mature shade trees are common features throughout the older sections of town, details typical of homes built in the decades before and after the turn of the twentieth century.

Downtown Life on the Square

The historic square remains an active gathering place, hosting concerts and community events that draw residents downtown throughout the year. Shops, restaurants, and offices line the storefronts around the courthouse, many occupying brick buildings that date back to the late 1800s, and the walkable layout makes it easy to spend an afternoon browsing without needing a car. Beyond the square, Covington's tree-shaded residential streets and small commercial nodes along the highway corridors give the city a comfortable blend of historic town center and everyday suburban convenience.

• Historic downtown square and the 1884 Newton County Courthouse


• Covington and North Covington Historic Districts


• Salem Camp Ground, one of Georgia's longest-running camp meeting sites


• Filming location for "The Vampire Diaries," "In the Heat of the Night," and "The Dukes of Hazzard"


• Direct access to Interstate 20 at three exits

Frequently Asked Questions

How far is Covington from Downtown Atlanta?

Covington is about 35 miles east of Downtown Atlanta, reached primarily by Interstate 20.

What county is Covington in?

Covington is the county seat of Newton County, in the eastern part of Metro Atlanta.

Why is Covington used for so many film and TV productions?

Covington's preserved historic square, courthouse, and residential architecture have made it a long-running filming location, appearing in shows such as "The Vampire Diaries" and "In the Heat of the Night."

What kind of homes will I find in Covington?

Covington offers antebellum and Victorian-era homes near its historic districts, known locally under the city's "City of Beautiful Homes" nickname, along with more traditional single-family neighborhoods elsewhere in the city.

What highways connect Covington to the rest of Metro Atlanta?

Interstate 20 runs directly through Covington with three exits, and U.S. Route 278 along with Georgia State Routes 36, 81, and 142 provide additional connections toward surrounding Newton County communities and beyond.