City · Oklahoma
Alva, Oklahoma
Alva, city, in Woods County, Oklahoma. Alva had 4,880 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.7% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 5,028 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 4,982 (±18). GEOID 4001800.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
4,880
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 5,028 · ACS 2020-2024: 4,982 ±18
Median household income
$40,709
±$4,899 (90% margin)
Oklahoma: $65,039
Median home value
$133,600
±$14,938 (90% margin)
Oklahoma: $199,800
Median gross rent
$877
±$108 (90% margin)
Oklahoma: $1,014
Where is Alva and what county is it in?
Alva is a city in Woods County, Oklahoma. It covers 6.3 square miles of land, 797 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Alva, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 4,880 people lived in Alva on July 1, 2025, down 2.7% since 2020, while Oklahoma grew 4.1%. The 2020 Census counted 5,028 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 4,982 (±18).
| Measure | Alva | Woods County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,982 ±18 | 8,596 | −127 |
| Households | 2,135 ±154 | 3,584 | +232 |
| Average household size | 2.07 ±0.15 | 2.12 | −0.43 |
| Housing units | 2,617 ±133 | 4,447 | no clear change |
Alva's population since 2000
From 5,288 in 2000 to 4,880 in 2025: down 7.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Alva as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Alva?
The median resident of Alva is 28.3 years old; 20.4% are under 18 and 15.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 81.0%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 10.1%.
| Measure | Alva | Woods County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.3 ±2.3 | 34.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 20.4% ±2.3 pts | 20.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 15.8% ±2.5 pts | 17.5% | – |
| Male | 49.6% ±2.6 pts | 53.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 10.1% ±1.7 pts | 7.5% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 81.0% ±2.7 pts | 81.7% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.4% ±1.7 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±1.0 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.3% ±1.7 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.1% ±1.6 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.9% ±2.3 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.1% ±1.9 pts | 5.0% | – |
| With a disability | 16.7% ±4.7 pts | 15.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.2% ±2.7 pts | 7.6% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.8% ±4.3 pts | 89.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 39.5% ±7.6 pts | 32.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 15.4% ±4.6 pts | 12.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 77.9% ±4.5 pts | 80.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 5.1% ±2.2 pts | 3.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Alva earn?
Half of Alva's 2,135 households earn less than $40,709 a year (±$4,899), against $53,275 in Woods County and $65,039 in Oklahoma. In 2015-2019 it was $54,946 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 25.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Alva | Woods County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $40,709 ±$4,899 | $53,275 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $61,355 ±$7,679 | $70,993 | – |
| Per capita income | $26,849 ±$2,966 | $29,494 | −$6,239 |
| People below the poverty line | 25.9% ±5.7 pts | 19.9% | +10.4 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 25.2% ±12.6 pts | 20.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 12.1% ±5.4 pts | 9.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.5% ±2.7 pts | 93.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 87.4% ±4.3 pts | 84.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Alva?
Owners occupy 50.1% of Alva's occupied homes and renters 49.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $133,600 by its owner (±$14,938). The median renter pays $877 a month including utilities, and 56.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Alva | Woods County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $133,600 ±$14,938 | $139,600 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $877 ±$108 | $850 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 56.8% ±12.0 pts | 51.6% | +28.3 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,219 ±$114 | $1,294 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 50.1% ±5.6 pts | 65.3% | −8.8 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 49.9% ±5.6 pts | 34.7% | – |
| Housing units | 2,617 ±133 | 4,447 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 3.9% ±3.9 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 8.5% ±9.9 pts | 8.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 88.8% ±4.4 pts | 86.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.7% ±0.9 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.0% ±1.8 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 33.2% ±8.0 pts | 29.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 11.5% ±5.4 pts | 7.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Alva building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Alva in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 3.8 across Oklahoma.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Alva work and get to work?
75.6% of Alva's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 11.2 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.9%.
| Measure | Alva | Woods County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 67.9% ±5.0 pts | 61.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% ±3.1 pts | 4.6% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 75.6% ±5.8 pts | 80.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 12.0% ±5.2 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 11.1% ±5.2 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 1.1% ±1.4 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 11.2 min ±2.8 | 14.7 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Alva?
1 census tract lies mostly in Alva, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9543Woods County | 2,633 | $43,250 |
| Tract 9542.01Woods County | 2,652 | $54,255 |
| Tract 9542.02Woods County | 1,786 | $40,234 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Alva) · Census block assignment files
How does Alva compare with other places in Oklahoma?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Alva is the 4,962nd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 77th-most populous of 591 in Oklahoma.
Alva ranks 198th of 228 places in Oklahoma with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 77th | 591 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 185th | 212 |
| Residents per square mile | 100th | 229 |
| Median household income | 198th | 228 |
| Per capita income | 124th | 229 |
| Median home value | 120th | 228 |
| Median gross rent | 87th | 223 |
| Poverty rate | 42nd | 218 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13th | 226 |
| Median age | 222nd | 229 |
| Owner-occupied share | 211th | 229 |
| Travel time to work | 226th | 229 |
Alva's figures with every place in Oklahoma (CSV)
Every place in Oklahoma, sortable · Compare Alva with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Alva?
12 of the 57 figures for Alva on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Alva are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Alva.