Covington County is home to over 400 businesses and industries, ranging from small business start-ups to established manufacturers with a labor force of over 8,000.

Because the pro-business Economic Development Authority and City Council are aggressively involved in commercial endeavors, the City of Collins' 200-acre Industrial Park, served by the Illinois Central Gulf and numerous trucking lines, became a reality several years ago.  Jones County Junior College in Ellisville provides local industries with pre-employment training and employment certification programs, upgrade-training to improve current workers' skills, and licensed program training courses.