Population 6,203 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Alva
Household size in Alva
| Period | Alva | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.97 | 2.55 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.30 | 2.60 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.56 | 2.63 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.06 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.09 | +0.03 | −0.03 |
Alva is a place of small households, averaging 2.06 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has crept up from 1.97 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Only one other Oklahoma city with 5,000+ people has smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Alva
| Period | Alva | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.2 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.1 | 37.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 31.4 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 32.2 | 38.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −5.1 | +0.6 | +2.3 |
Alva is young: half of its residents are under 32.2, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has dropped from 37.2 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Only four of the 105 Oklahoma cities with 5,000+ people are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Alva
| Period | Alva | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.4% | 12.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.9% | 12.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.0% | 12.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | +0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in twelve households in Alva (9.0%), below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 2.6 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Alva has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of Oklahoma cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Alva
Renters in Alva
| Period | Alva | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.4% | 31.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.9% | 33.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.5% | 34.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 42.7% | 34.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | +2.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is more common in Alva than nationally: 42.7% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among owners, 41.5% have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southeast. The renter share has risen 5.3 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Alva
| Period | Alva | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.8% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.4% | 12.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 19.9% | 13.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.8% | 11.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −7.0 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Alva than nationally: 11.8%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is down 7.0 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Alva
| Period | Alva | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1962 | 1976 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1962 | 1977 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1963 | 1979 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1959 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Change | −3 | +7 | +6 |
The housing in Alva is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1959, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the center has the oldest housing. Only one other Oklahoma city with 5,000+ people has older homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Alva
| Period | Alva | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $509 | $716 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $648 | $805 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $726 | $897 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $832 | $1,127 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$323 | +$411 | +$606 |
The median renter in Alva pays $832 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $323 a month since 2006–10, up 63%, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 34.3% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the center and lowest in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Alva
Bachelor's degrees in Alva
| Period | Alva | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.3% | 24.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.3% | 24.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.5% | 26.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.8% | 28.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | +4.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in Alva (33.8%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is higher than in Oklahoma as a whole (28.9%). The share with a degree is up 4.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Alva
| Period | Alva | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.0% | 86.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.9% | 87.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.9% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.6% | 89.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Alva have finished high school as nationally: 89.6%, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 1.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Alva
| Period | Alva | Oklahoma | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.2% | 6.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.2% | 6.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 5.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | −1.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 4.9%, unemployment in Alva is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is up 1.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Alva compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alva | 2.06 | 32.2 | 9.0% | 42.7% | 11.8% | 1959 | $832 | 33.8% | 89.6% | 4.9% |
| Noel | 1.80 | 36.0 | 4.3% | 40.9% | 11.1% | 1968 | $687 | 33.3% | 87.2% | 4.3% |
| Capron | 2.38 | 47.1 | 5.6% | 15.0% | 17.8% | 1968 | $305 | 39.3% | 93.5% | 1.7% |
| Fairvalley | 2.17 | 34.9 | 20.7% | 16.1% | 2.5% | 1992 | $789 | 34.8% | 92.3% | 10.8% |
| Tegarden | 2.17 | 37.8 | 17.9% | 15.6% | 5.7% | 1987 | $693 | 35.1% | 92.4% | 9.0% |
| Burlington | 3.24 | 35.6 | 9.3% | 24.4% | 26.8% | 1966 | $614 | 45.1% | 95.6% | 0.0% |
| Ingersoll | 2.23 | 43.2 | 6.6% | 28.0% | 21.3% | 1951 | $774 | 33.9% | 95.2% | 6.4% |
| Cherokee | 2.16 | 44.6 | 6.4% | 27.2% | 22.1% | 1952 | $733 | 31.6% | 94.0% | 6.7% |
| Driftwood | 3.21 | 35.9 | 9.2% | 24.4% | 26.8% | 1966 | $611 | 44.6% | 95.5% | 0.2% |
| Byron | 3.08 | 37.5 | 8.9% | 24.3% | 27.0% | 1966 | $598 | 42.5% | 94.9% | 1.0% |
| Amorita | 3.24 | 35.6 | 9.3% | 24.4% | 26.8% | 1966 | $614 | 45.1% | 95.6% | 0.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Water Valley, MS · Berlin, PA · Gilford, NH · Bennett, CO · Nephi, UT · Wahoo, NE · Butler Beach, FL · Munfordville, KY · Belford, NJ · Grant, AL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Alva. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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