Ava, Missouri
13 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1936 and the latest in 1985. It stands in Benton Township. It lies in ZIP code area 65608. The Survey maps it on the Ava quadrangle. 2,894 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,283 feet above sea level.
Research this city
On record in Ava
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 1 record
Ava Ranger Station Historic Districtlisted 2003
Population over time
2 figuresAva fell from 2,993 to 2,894 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 2,993 | |
| 2020 | 2,894 | -99 (-3%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
11 surveys from 13 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1936 USGS Ava quadrangle1:48000
- 1942 USGS Ava quadrangle1:62500, 2 printings
- 1945 USGS Ava quadrangle1:62500, 2 printings
- 1945 USGS Harrison quadrangle1:250000
- 1949 USGS Harrison quadrangle1:250000
- 1954 USGS Harrison quadrangle1:250000
- 1958 USGS Harrison quadrangle1:250000
- 1964 USGS Harrison quadrangle1:250000
- 1982 USGS Ava quadrangle1:24000
- 1985 USGS Ava quadrangle1:100000
- 1985 USGS Harrison quadrangle1:250000
Fires near this place
62 since 1992Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 62 fires within 5 miles of Ava between 1992 and 2020, burning about 446 acres in total. None started naturally. 14 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Debris and open burning | 34 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 14 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 10 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 4 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 September 2000 | Debris and open burning | 5.0 acres | Missouri Department of Conservation | not named |
| 18 September 2000 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 2.0 acres | Missouri Department of Conservation | not named |
| 14 September 1999 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Missouri Department of Conservation | not named |
| 5 August 2020 | Debris and open burning | 7.1 acres | Missouri Department of Conservation | 220621-03401-08052020-1645 |
| 17 August 2020 | Debris and open burning | 1.7 acres | Missouri Department of Conservation | 230875-03401-08172020-1315 |
| 13 August 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Missouri Department of Conservation | 220622-03401-08132020-2108 |
| 12 August 2019 | Debris and open burning | 5.2 acres | Missouri Department of Conservation | 179174-03401-08122019-2052 |
| 24 July 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 3.2 acres | Missouri Department of Conservation | 220620-03401-07242020-1122 |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
10 of 11 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 11 workings within 5 miles of Ava: 9 past producers, 2 producers. 2 still produce. What was taken out: Stone, Crushed/Broken, Sand and Gravel, Construction, Iron. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browning Land | Iron | Past Producer | ||
| Sanders & Son Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Unknown - S+G | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Welton Sand and Gravel Pits | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Ava Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Barnes Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Hart Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Silvey Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Singleton Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown - Ls | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer |
Storms near this place
60 of 237 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Ava in 237 storm reports between 1993 and 2026: 87 thunderstorm wind, 49 hail, 45 flash flood, 41 flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2015 | Flash Flood | Ava | $1,000,000 | The city park in Ava flooded as well as Highway 5 and Highway Y. There was flooding into driveways of homes along Highway 14 at Hutchinson Street and at 10th Street. This storm report will contain the overall flood damage estimates across Douglas County for this storm event. There were several episodes and heavy rainfall events which led to a compound affect to the flooding damage. Numerous roads, bridges, and low water crossings were heavily damaged. |
| May 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $500,000 | A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that straight line winds damaged areas of southwest and central sections of Ava. These straight line winds caused damage to several businesses located on the square. Power poles and trees were also heavily damaged. This same storm eventually produced a tornado on the northern section of Ava. |
| April 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $100,000 | Numerous power poles were snapped or down in the town of Ava. Minor to moderate damage was reported to several buildings in the downtown area. A strong microburst caused 70 t 80 mph winds. |
| May 2008 | Tornado (EF0) | Ava | $100,000 | A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-0 tornado touched down in the northeast section of Ava. Wind speeds were estimated at 80 mph. Damage was limited to trees and minor house damage. |
| April 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $75,000 | A NWS storm survey concluded that three large outbuildings were slightly to heavily damaged from high winds. |
| May 2002 | Hail | Ava | $75,000 | no account filed |
| May 2025 | Hail | Ava | $60,000 | Report of baseball size hail. |
| September 2006 | Hail | Ava | $50,000 | A severe thunderstorm produced baseball size hail breaking 70 skylights at a Walmart supercenter. |
| May 2021 | Lightning | Ava | $37,000 | Lightning struck the Ava High School damaging seven network switches. |
| May 2025 | Hail | Ava | $25,000 | Report of golf ball size hail. |
| April 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $25,000 | A sturdy 30 feet by 50 feet garage was removed from the foundation and blown 200 yards to the east. |
| May 2009 | Lightning | Ava | $20,000 | A barn caught on fire and burned to the ground from a lightning strike. |
| May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $10,000 | Multiple trees down on County Road 401 south of Ava, and a section of a barn was damaged. |
| August 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $10,000 | A large tree was blown over onto a parked car. |
| May 2017 | Lightning | Ava | $10,000 | Lightning struck a home. The owner indicated sparks from appliances when the lightning hit the house. |
| May 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $10,000 | Several trees were blown down around the Ava area. One tree fell on a car. |
| October 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $10,000 | Several trees were down at the intersection of Highway 14 and Highway 5. A flag pole was blown down. Several power lines were also blown down. |
| April 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $10,000 | Several power poles snapped and trees blown down. |
| September 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $10,000 | Severe thunderstorm wind gusts damaged a mobile home and downed several trees. |
| September 2001 | Lightning | Ava | $10,000 | no account filed |
| September 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $10,000 | no account filed |
| May 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $8,000 | Several large tree limbs were reported down on power lines. |
| July 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $7,000 | no account filed |
| March 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $6,000 | Three telephone polls were blown down near Highway 14 and County Road 305. |
| March 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $5,000 | A trailer suffered minor damage. |
| September 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $5,000 | A large limb was reported down on the roof of a home causing minor damage. |
| May 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $5,000 | A large tree was reported down on a home. Minor damage to the home occurred. |
| June 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $5,000 | Several tree limbs were blown down onto phone lines. |
| December 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $5,000 | Numerous trees and power poles were knocked over from severe thunderstorm wind gusts. |
| June 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $5,000 | Severe thunderstorm wind gusts downed powerlines in the Sweden area. |
| July 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $5,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed trees and power lines. |
| April 1993 | Hail | Ava | $5,000 | Several roofs received minor damage. |
| May 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $5,000 | no account filed |
| March 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $3,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed a few trees on County Road 206 east of Ava. |
| May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $2,000 | Several large limbs were blown down around town along with isolated power outages. |
| June 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $2,000 | no account filed |
| September 2006 | Hail | Ava | $1,500 | Baseball sized hail knocked out two windshields at the ambulance station. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $1,000 | Report of a tree down. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $1,000 | Report of a tree down. |
| March 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $1,000 | A large tree was uprooted on east Highway 14 in Ava. |
| March 2023 | Flash Flood | Ava | $1,000 | Street flooding from heavy rainfall caused water to enter the Town and County Supermarket. |
| August 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $1,000 | An uprooted tree was lying against the high school in Ava. Only very minor damage occurred. |
| October 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $1,000 | Siding was ripped off a mobile home in Ava. |
| August 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $1,000 | A tree was blown down onto power lines. |
| July 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $1,000 | Severe thunderstorm winds downed a tree across Highway Y east of Ava. |
| December 2008 | Flash Flood | Ava | $1,000 | Excessive rainfall caused several city streets to flood. This urban flooding led to water running into one home. |
| March 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | $1,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed large trees. |
| May 1994 | Hail | Ava | $50 | Reported by the police on the east side of town. |
| April 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | - | Several large limbs were reported down. |
| April 2026 | Hail | Ava | - | Quarter sized hail was reported. |
| April 2026 | Flood | Ava | - | State Highway FF at Hunter Creek was flooded and impassable. |
| April 2025 | Hail | Ava | - | Quarter sized hail was reported by multiple spotters in the area. |
| April 2025 | Flash Flood | Ava | - | Route FF at Hunter Creek was closed due to flooding. |
| April 2025 | Flash Flood | Ava | - | Route FF at Hunter Creek was flooded and impassable. |
| April 2025 | Flood | Ava | - | State Highway FF at Hunter Creek was flooded and impassable. |
| April 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ava | - | A large tree was reported down. |
| May 2025 | Heavy Rain | Ava | - | Storm total rainfall amount of 7.89 inches from May 23 through May 27. |
| June 2024 | Flash Flood | Ava | - | Route FF was flooded at Hunter Creek. |
| March 2024 | Flood | Ava | - | State Highway FF was closed at Hunter Creek east of Ava due to flooding. |
| May 2024 | Hail | Ava | - | Report of golf ball size hail. |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Ava | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q957407 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 735491. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.










