The Town FilesAva, Illinois
City in Jackson County · population 553 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $90,500
- Household income
- $55,368
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 8 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 35.7
Ava is a city of 553 people in Jackson County, Illinois. The median home is worth $90,500, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks easier by car than 84% of Illinois towns, more of a college town than 79% of Illinois towns, better for families than 71% of Illinois towns.
How Ava ranks
Percentile among Illinois towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Illinois towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Ava is worth $90,500, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $55,368, which is more affordable than 85% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $492 a month. 82.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ava | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $90,500 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $492 | $960 |
| Median household income | $55,368 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 82.2% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Ava
| People | Ava | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.7 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.5% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 28.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 5.1% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.5% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 4.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 0.9% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 27.4 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.0% | 90.4% |
Weather in Ava
July highs average 88.4°F and January lows 24.8°F. About 44.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 8.2 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 40 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 94 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ava since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on February 28, 2017 about 1.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 14, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 27, 2026.
Severe weather in Jackson County since 1996
Jackson County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| September 19, 2019 | Flood | DR-4461: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| June 7, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1991: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 2, 2009 | Severe Storm | DR-1850: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Jackson County
Jackson County had 25,266 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,398 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Ava itself the ACS puts it at 5.2%.
Towns near Ava
- Willisville, IL8.3 mi · 579 people · home $57,300
- Harrison, IL10.8 mi · 895 people · home $176,100
- Percy, IL11.0 mi · 906 people · home $77,200
- Murphysboro, IL12.3 mi · 7,093 people · home $85,900
- Steeleville, IL12.3 mi · 1,930 people · home $158,500
- Elkville, IL14.2 mi · 838 people · home $71,000
- De Soto, IL15.5 mi · 1,407 people · home $94,700
- Du Quoin, IL16.3 mi · 5,827 people · home $83,100
Ava questions
Is Ava, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ava scores better for retirees than 12% of Illinois towns and quieter than 48%. 22.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.7).
How much does a house cost in Ava?
The median owner-occupied home in Ava is valued at $90,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,368, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $492 a month.
What is the weather like in Ava?
July highs average 88.4°F and January lows 24.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.0 inches of precipitation a year and 8.2 inches of snow.
Does Ava get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ava since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on February 28, 2017. The typical Illinois town has had 27.
- 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)