The Town FilesAva, Missouri
City in Douglas County · population 2,894 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $148,000
- Household income
- $42,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 10 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 27
- Median age
- 34.9
Ava is a city of 2,894 people in Douglas County, Missouri. The median home is worth $148,000, close to the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks better for retirees than 83% of Missouri towns, easier by car than 74% of Missouri towns.
How Ava ranks
Percentile among Missouri towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Missouri towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Ava is worth $148,000, close to the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $42,500, which is more affordable than 19% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $696 a month. 54.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ava | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $148,000 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $696 | $855 |
| Median household income | $42,500 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 54.7% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.1% | — |
Who lives in Ava
| People | Ava | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.9 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.4% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 27.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.1% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.7% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 6.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 9.0% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 19.0 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.4% | 88.7% |
Weather in Ava
July highs average 88.5°F and January lows 19.9°F. About 48.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.0 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 37 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 120 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ava since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on May 8, 2009 about 9.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 26, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 96 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on September 22, 2006.
Severe weather in Douglas County since 1996
Douglas County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 22, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4885: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4872: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| January 1, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4855: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| July 9, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4552: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4490: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Douglas County
Douglas County had 2,558 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $37,095 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Ava itself the ACS puts it at 5.7%.
Public schools in Ava
4 public schools with 1,470 students, about 15.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| AVA ELEM. | PK-4 | 565 | 16.1 |
| AVA HIGH | 9-12 | 424 | 15.7 |
| AVA MIDDLE | 5-8 | 387 | 14.3 |
| PLAINVIEW ELEM. | PK-8 | 94 | 10.4 |
Towns near Ava
- Rogersville, MO25.1 mi · 3,897 people · home $217,900
- Mountain Grove, MO25.2 mi · 4,313 people · home $87,200
- Marshfield, MO29.9 mi · 7,458 people · home $204,700
Ava questions
Is Ava, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ava scores better for retirees than 83% of Missouri towns and quieter than 63%. 20.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.9).
How much does a house cost in Ava?
The median owner-occupied home in Ava is valued at $148,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $42,500, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $696 a month.
What is the weather like in Ava?
July highs average 88.5°F and January lows 19.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.5 inches of precipitation a year and 10.0 inches of snow.
Does Ava get tornadoes?
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ava since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on May 8, 2009. The typical Missouri town has had 23.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)