The Town FilesAlva, Oklahoma
City in Woods County · population 5,028 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $133,600
- Household income
- $40,709
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 95°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 28.3
Alva is a city of 5,028 people in Woods County, Oklahoma. The median home is worth $133,600, above the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). It ranks more of a college town than 100% of Oklahoma towns, better for young professionals than 99% of Oklahoma towns, hipper than 94% of Oklahoma towns.
How Alva ranks
Percentile among Oklahoma towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Oklahoma towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Alva is worth $133,600, above the typical Oklahoma town ($122,500). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $40,709, which is more affordable than 11% of Oklahoma towns. Median rent is $877 a month. 50.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Alva | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $133,600 | $122,500 |
| Median rent | $877 | $830 |
| Median household income | $40,709 | $54,111 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 2.4× |
| Homeownership | 50.1% | 68.5% |
| Median year built | 1955 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Alva
| People | Alva | Typical Oklahoma town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.3 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.8% | 16.5% |
| Under 18 | 20.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.5% | 16.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 25.9% | 18.8% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.1% | — |
| Work from home | 1.1% | 5.7% |
| Average commute | 11.2 min | 22.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.4% | 86.0% |
Weather in Alva
July highs average 95.2°F and January lows 22.7°F. About 30.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 11.3 inches of snow (typical Oklahoma town: 4.4 in). Expect about 88 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 106 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alva since 1950, compared with 33 for the typical Oklahoma town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 2, 1956 about 5.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 18, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 53 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on May 31, 1999.
Severe weather in Woods County since 1996
Woods County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 14, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4791: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 24, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4587: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 17, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3555: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4530: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3462: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Woods County
Woods County had 3,324 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,725 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Alva itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in Alva
5 public schools with 1,033 students, about 13.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALVA HS | 9-12 | 276 | 12.5 |
| ALVA MS | 6-8 | 238 | 14.0 |
| WASHINGTON ES | PK-1 | 237 | 14.8 |
| LONGFELLOW ES | 2-3 | 146 | 14.6 |
| LINCOLN ES | 4-5 | 136 | 13.6 |
Alva questions
Is Alva, Oklahoma a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Alva scores better for retirees than 71% of Oklahoma towns and quieter than 15%. 15.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 28.3).
How much does a house cost in Alva?
The median owner-occupied home in Alva is valued at $133,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $40,709, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $877 a month.
What is the weather like in Alva?
July highs average 95.2°F and January lows 22.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.3 inches of precipitation a year and 11.3 inches of snow.
Does Alva get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alva since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 2, 1956. The typical Oklahoma town has had 33.
- 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)