The Town FilesGainesville, Missouri
City in Ozark County · population 745 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $119,500
- Household income
- $32,391
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 40.4
Gainesville is a city of 745 people in Ozark County, Missouri. The median home is worth $119,500, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks better for a vacation home than 96% of Missouri towns, better for retirees than 85% of Missouri towns, quieter than 76% of Missouri towns.
How Gainesville ranks
Percentile among Missouri towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Missouri towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Gainesville is worth $119,500, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $32,391, which is more affordable than 12% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $457 a month. 50.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gainesville | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $119,500 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $457 | $855 |
| Median household income | $32,391 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 50.3% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Gainesville
| People | Gainesville | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.4 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.6% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 23.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.6% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 29.0% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 8.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 7.8% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 71.1% | 88.7% |
Weather in Gainesville
July highs average 88.5°F and January lows 24.9°F. About 47.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.7 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 35 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 97 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gainesville since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 7, 1973 about 9.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 26, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 37 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on April 19, 2011.
Severe weather in Ozark County since 1996
Ozark County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 22, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4885: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4867: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Wildfires |
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4872: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| January 1, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4855: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| September 21, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4741: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Ozark County
Ozark County had 1,512 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $33,721 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Gainesville itself the ACS puts it at 7.4%.
Public schools in Gainesville
3 public schools with 651 students, about 13.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| GAINESVILLE ELEM. | K-6 | 313 | 11.6 |
| GAINESVILLE HIGH | 7-12 | 301 | 14.3 |
| GAINESVILLE PRESCHOOL | PK-PK | 37 | 18.5 |
Towns near Gainesville
- Midway, AR15.1 mi · 1,036 people · home $147,300
- Lakeview, AR17.3 mi · 775 people · home $215,700
- Bull Shoals, AR18.6 mi · 1,952 people · home $158,100
- Mountain Home, AR18.9 mi · 12,825 people · home $169,800
- Gassville, AR22.5 mi · 2,171 people · home $142,700
- Cotter, AR23.0 mi · 886 people · home $193,100
- Flippin, AR24.6 mi · 1,345 people · home $113,800
- Ava, MO27.6 mi · 2,894 people · home $148,000
Gainesville questions
Is Gainesville, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gainesville scores better for retirees than 85% of Missouri towns and quieter than 76%. 25.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.4).
How much does a house cost in Gainesville?
The median owner-occupied home in Gainesville is valued at $119,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $32,391, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $457 a month.
What is the weather like in Gainesville?
July highs average 88.5°F and January lows 24.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.1 inches of precipitation a year and 5.7 inches of snow.
Does Gainesville get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gainesville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 7, 1973. The typical Missouri town has had 23.
- 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)