Alva 80 Exceptional
Alva Livability #4 ranked city in Oklahoma#1,823 ranked city in the USARanks better than 93% of areas
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Pros and Cons of Living in Alva

PROS
  • Cost Of Living Cost Of Living

    The overall cost of living in this area is much lower than average. This includes everyday goods and services, as well as housing, utilities and health care.

  • Crime Crime

    With a lower than average crime rate per 100,000 people, this area could be considered a very safe place to live. Crime rates are based on both violent and property crimes.

  • Housing Housing

    This area has received high scores in the housing category. This could be due to a positive home affordability ratio, high appreciation rates or elevated home values.

  • Health & Safety Health & Safety

    A high score in the health and safety category is a result of good air quality and the accessibility to health facilities such as hospitals, clinics, doctors, pharmacies and fire stations.

  • Ratings Ratings

    Local residents have positive things to say about the proximity of restaurants, grocery stores, parks, public transit, friendliness of neighbors, sense of community and overall safety of the area.

CONS
  • Commute Commute

    Public transportation is not readily available in this area and the average commute time to work could also be longer than the national average.

  • Employment Employment

    A low score in the employment category could indicate that this area struggles with high unemployment rates and low household income and income per capita levels.

What's it like Living in Alva?

Alva is a small city located in the state of Oklahoma. The city has a population of 5,202 residents. According to the most recent Census, 88% of Alva residents are White, 4% Black and 1% Asian. Alva tends to attract a younger crowd, as the median age of 29 is far below the national average. Alva is very likely to be a great place to live for singles as only 46%, of the population (over fifteen) are classified as married. If you're not a fan of traffic congestion and long commute times to work, Alva is the place to be. Commutes to work here are shorter, with an average one-way commute time taking only 10 minutes, significantly lower than the national average of 26 minutes.

Whether you’re moving to a new town to be closer to family, friends or for a new job, living in Alva could be a positive experience compared to other cities in Oklahoma if you know where to search. Don't forget to determine what matters most to you in a neighborhood. Consider factors such as safety, proximity to work or school, access to amenities (like parks, fitness facilities, grocery stores, restaurants), public transportation options, community atmosphere and the overall vibe you're looking for. Using the livability score which includes data from categories like crime, cost of living, health & safety, education, housing, you can easily compare the best places to live in Alva and also determine if there are any nearby cities that might be a better match for your lifestyle. You can also compare Alva to Oklahoma and the national average.

Alva, OK receives 80 out of 100 for its livability score; this results in a ranking of #4 in Oklahoma and #1,593 in the USA. Based on this score, Alva would be considered a very livable city! Alva has also earned the rare honor of ranking in the top 10 percentile among all cities. Based on the grades for each individual category, Alva has been rewarded with high marks for crime (A) and housing (A+). There are some categories that Alva ranks poorly for, including: amenities (D), education (D) and employment (D-). It might be worth taking a closer look to find out why.

Feeling a sense of safety in the area that you live in is a must for most people. Low crime rates can have a positive impact on things like home prices, home appreciation rates and can help foster positive community dynamics and social cohesion. Alva has a violent crime rate of 141 crimes per 100,000 residents which is far lower than the national average.

A robust real estate market serves as a crucial economic indicator, reflecting the local area's strength, stability and the confidence of its residents. Alva excels in the housing sector, scoring high marks based on factors such as median home and rental prices, appreciation rates and home affordability. These calculations suggest that the apartment rental and real estate market in the region is exceptionally healthy, highlighting the area's economic vitality and attractiveness to potential homebuyers and renters.

Certain items on your wish list like shopping, restaurants, nightlife, parks and proximity to public transportation are all important things to look for. Having said that, perhaps the most important metric to consider when contemplating a move to Alva is real estate affordability. Median real estate prices in Alva come in at $182,960, which is 15.1% lower than the Oklahoma average. The home price to income ratio compares the median home prices to the median household income. In Alva, the home price to income ratio is 2.6, which is 13.3% lower than the Oklahoma average.

Best Places to Live in and Around Alva

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Compare Alva, OK Livability

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      Alva transportation information

      Statistic Alva Oklahoma National
      Average one way commute10min21min26min
      Workers who drive to work81.5%82.6%76.4%
      Workers who carpool12.1%10.1%9.3%
      Workers who take public transit0.0%0.5%5.1%
      Workers who bicycle0.0%0.2%0.6%
      Workers who walk3.8%1.8%2.8%
      Working from home1.3%3.6%4.6%
      Source: The Alva, OK data and statistics displayed above are derived from the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) and include 2026 modeled data developed using proprietary methodologies.