The Town FilesOla, Arkansas
City in Yell County · population 934 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $61,600
- Household income
- $32,679
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 36.0
Ola is a city of 934 people in Yell County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $61,600, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 73% of Arkansas towns, better for retirees than 70% of Arkansas towns, hipper than 70% of Arkansas towns.
How Ola ranks
Percentile among Arkansas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Arkansas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Ola is worth $61,600, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $32,679, which is more affordable than 90% of Arkansas towns. Median rent is $574 a month. 37.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ola | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $61,600 | $128,600 |
| Median rent | $574 | $792 |
| Median household income | $32,679 | $50,408 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 37.4% | 64.9% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Ola
| People | Ola | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.0 | 37.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.1% | 17.2% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.3% | 16.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 46.6% | 19.7% |
| Veterans | 2.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 1.2% | 5.3% |
| Average commute | 13.8 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 76.2% | 84.4% |
Weather in Ola
July highs average 94.1°F and January lows 30.8°F. About 54.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.8 inches of snow (typical Arkansas town: 2.6 in). Expect about 73 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 69 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ola since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Arkansas town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 26, 1976 about 5.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 4, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 50 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 24, 2011.
Severe weather in Yell County since 1996
Yell County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3636: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 5, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3627: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 27, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3541: Hurricane Laura |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4518: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3461: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Yell County
Yell County had 6,547 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,516 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Ola itself the ACS puts it at 10.6%.
Public schools in Ola
2 public schools with 745 students, about 8.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| TWO RIVERS HIGH SCHOOL | 5-12 | 435 | 7.0 |
| TWO RIVERS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-4 | 310 | 11.1 |
Towns near Ola
- Danville, AR9.6 mi · 2,028 people · home $122,700
- Dardanelle, AR13.9 mi · 4,517 people · home $138,600
- Pottsville, AR16.6 mi · 3,140 people · home $171,600
- Russellville, AR17.6 mi · 28,940 people · home $172,400
- London, AR20.5 mi · 936 people · home $99,800
- Atkins, AR21.2 mi · 2,859 people · home $124,400
- Perryville, AR23.9 mi · 1,373 people · home $133,600
- Knoxville, AR25.1 mi · 660 people · home $125,700
Ola questions
Is Ola, Arkansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ola scores better for retirees than 70% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 63%. 14.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.0).
How much does a house cost in Ola?
The median owner-occupied home in Ola is valued at $61,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $32,679, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $574 a month.
What is the weather like in Ola?
July highs average 94.1°F and January lows 30.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 54.4 inches of precipitation a year and 2.8 inches of snow.
Does Ola get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ola since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 26, 1976. The typical Arkansas town has had 24.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)