City profile · Missouri · Census ACS 2023

Ava, MO

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Ava - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

2,978
Residents
$44,722
Median income
$134,800
Median home
$888
Median rent (state)

Ava - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Ava places in the 12th percentile for household income and the 93rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

12th
percentile, household income
22nd
percentile, home value
4th
percentile, median rent
93rd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Ava, MO

Missouri's Ava is a small town, with 2,978 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $44,722 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 6.5%. Typical homes in Ava are valued around $134,800, and the median resident age is 36.5 years. About 15.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 47.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 21 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 320% from five years earlier. Ava reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 277.2 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 55.2°F with 44.1 inches of precipitation per year.

Living costs in Missouri run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Missouri at 90.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $888 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Missouri run around $219, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 23.7 out of 100 (Very Low).

Population

2,978 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Missouri

Median Household Income

$44,722 /yr

Poverty 6.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Missouri average

How does Ava compare to other US cities?

Ava measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 12% higher than other cities
Home value 22% pricier than other cities
Median rent 4% pricier than other cities
Safety 93% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Missouri alone, Ava ranks #12 of 234 Missouri cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Ava's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Missouri, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

12thIncome percentile
93rdSafety percentile

12th percentile nationally for median household income · 93rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Ava's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Ava's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 64 Avg. percentile National median
Ava's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Ava's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$134,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 78% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Ava $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Ava, MO Ava, MO's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Ava, MO-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Ava, MO median $44,722/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Ava, MO's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Ava, MO. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 15.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 47.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
2,978
Median Income
$44,722
Median Home Value
$134,800
Median Age
36.5
Poverty Rate
6.5%
Labor force participation
47.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
15.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
277.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
30.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
246.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
55.2°F
Annual Precipitation
44.1"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
2,800 residents2,900 residents3,000 residents3,100 residents3,200 residents3,300 residents 202020212022202320242025 2,908 residents 3,231 residents ▲ +11.1%
Ava's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
21
housing units authorized
Single-Family
8
detached homes
Multifamily
13
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
7.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 5
2020 5
2021 39
2022 30
2023 10
2024 21

Permit volume increased 320% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
89.2%
Carpool
3.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.8%
Work from Home
6.5%

Based on 1,003 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Missouri - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$72
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$219
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Missouri state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Missouri state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Ava sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$888/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
23.7 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Missouri

Clever
2,977 people
Villa Ridge
2,994 people
East Prairie
2,930 people
Windsor
3,038 people
Buckner
2,917 people
Chaffee
3,039 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Ava's 2,978 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Valhalla, NY
2,978 people
Summerset, SD
2,978 people
Girard, PA
2,979 people
Port Ludlow, WA
2,979 people
Kenova, WV
2,977 people
Williamson, WV
2,979 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Ava's $44,722 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Lenzburg, IL
$44,722 median income
Rose Hill, NC
$44,722 median income
Sandersville, GA
$44,724 median income
Crab Orchard, TN
$44,708 median income
Carthage, TX
$44,738 median income
Bristol, VA
$44,706 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Ava, MO Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Ava, MO - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 97.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.2% White 97.4% Black or African American 2.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 0.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Ava compares to nearby Missouri cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Ava (this city) 2,978 $44,722
Clever 2,977 $77,403
Villa Ridge 2,994 $67,129
East Prairie 2,930 $31,159
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MO FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Ava, MO?

What is the population of Ava, MO? +

Ava, MO has a population of 2,978 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Ava, MO? +

Median annual household income in Ava runs $44,722, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Ava? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Ava; the closest available measure is the Missouri state average, a cost of living index of 90.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Missouri vary by metro area.

Is Ava, MO safe? +

Ava has a total crime rate of 277.2 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Ava, MO? +

Ava's median home value sits at $134,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Ava? +

Climate normals put Ava's yearly average temperature at 55.2°F, 44.1 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.