Ava, MO: Local News, Events & Neighbors

Ava is a city in and the county seat of Douglas County, Missouri, United States, that is the only incorporated city in the county. The population was 2,894 at the 2020 census. The city was founded in 1871. It was renamed Ava in 1881, the town's original name having been Militia Springs.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Ava ranks

All →

#8Lowest property tax in MO #14Safest in MO #31Cheapest rent in MO All MO rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code65608

Area code417

Living in Ava

Housing in Ava

$231K▲ 6.4% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Ava home is worth about $231,000, up 6.4% in a year, 14% below the Missouri typical home.

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Ava

B⁺

Safety Grade B+

Ava reports less crime per resident than 73% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.

Violent crime per 1,000

Ava 1.5

Missouri 4.3

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Ava 4

Missouri 16.9

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Health in Ava

Compared with Missouri

12worse than MO

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 20 are too close to call.

Conditions 8▼ 4 close Habits 1▼ 3 close Care 1▼ 6 close Mind 2▼ 3 close Everyday needs all close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

11.6%More adults with COPDMO 8% · worse 22.1%More older adults who have lost all their teethMO 15.8% · worse 9.4%More adults with heart diseaseMO 6.8% · worse

Care nearby

Cox Medical CentersSpringfield · 36.2 mi · ER

Moch Wellness CenterAva · 0.2 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalShortage · county-wide

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Ava · CMS · HRSAHealth in Ava →

Schools in Ava

All Ava schools →

B

School Grade B

The public schools Ava’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 58% of Missouri’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.

#109Best public schoolsof 226 in MO

DistrictAVA R-ISchools3

Ava Elem. BElementary · Grades PK–4 · 553 students Ava Middle C+Middle · Grades 5–8 · 386 students Ava High BHigh · Grades 9–12 · 391 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within MO. Ratings are from neighbors.