ARMap-doton-Lavaca, 2005
Lavaca’s story
145 years in pictures
Census counts: 319 in 1930, 2,450 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2005 and 6 maps from 1906 on.
- 1881Lavaca is settled
Population
2,528
2025 Census estimate · +3.4% since 2020
Typical home
$209K
+4.6% in a year
Household income
$81K
median
Median age
32.3
years
Jobs based here
268
A commuter town
TownGrade
B
#23 of 123 in AR
Is Lavaca a good place to live?
Lavaca gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $209K, 3.6 years of the Fort Smith metro’s $58K median household income. It grades B overall, 23rd of 123 graded towns in Arkansas. Among 123 Arkansas towns, just 4 have a higher July high than Lavaca. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 77% of U.S. towns.
What makes Lavaca stand out
Where Lavaca beats most towns.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave Lavaca for work
Where Lavaca’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
268jobs based in Lavaca
4%of working residents work in town
13 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Lavaca grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Arkansas), ordered by how far Lavaca is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.3 of 20; 2% of households have no car; 0.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →Cost of livingA−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listCOpen →Jobs & income$81K median household incomeB+Open →SafetyBOpen →HealthMercy Hospital Fort Smith 9.7 miles awayC+Open →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsC−Open →History1 notable person born hereDOpen →Civic life1.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Lavaca: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Lavaca, and how to reach them.
PowerOG&E11.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLavaca WaterworksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpTuesdayTrash dayTown site
Register to voteIn personArkansas has no online registration; you can register in person until 30 days before Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereSebastian County ClerkSebastian County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2015
ZIP code7294172941 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Lavaca.
Lavaca fares better on crime within Arkansas than nationally and looks healthier within Arkansas than nationally, but it has little public open land.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
About half of Lavaca’s working residents commute to Fort Smith
Lavaca has 268 jobs for its 952 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out.
Most working residents leave Lavaca for work: only 4% work in town. 5.9% of residents live below the poverty line in Lavaca, where Arkansas’ towns sit at 18% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Jobs based in Lavaca fell to 268 in 2023, 23 fewer than in 2013.
4%work in town
| Lavaca | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 5.9% | 18% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.3% | 22% | 8% |
| Median household income | $81,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Lavaca4%
Fort Smith47%
Van Buren5%
Little Rock3%
Greenwood2%
13 mi
median commute distance
268
jobs based in Lavaca
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 23% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsB−
Public schools in Lavaca beat 51% of Arkansas districts
Its public schools are run by the Lavaca School District. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
51%of AR districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lavaca Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 322 | A− |
| Lavaca High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 245 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AR on state tests and graduation
Who lives here
More children than Arkansas overall
Lavaca sits below both the Arkansas town median (36.6 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years) on this measure. Children under 18 are 32% of residents (23% statewide); people 65 and older are 10% of residents (18% statewide). Lavaca has grown 3.4% since 2020, to 2,528 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
32.3median age · AR 38.5
| Lavaca | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 10% | 16% | 18% |
| Median age | 32.3 years | 36.6 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 24% | 20% | 29% |
LavacaArkansasUnited States
Ages · share of residents
17%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school36%
Some college34%
Associate’s4%
Bachelor’s17%
Graduate7%
Women and men · all residents
55% women, 45% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±5.7 points. Across Arkansas, 50.6% of residents are women.
| Lavaca | AR | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 16.2% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 15.7% | 10.8% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.7% | 9.4% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.9% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 16.5% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.4% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.6% | 12.5% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 6.3% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 3.7% | 7.2% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.6% | 11.3% | 10.4% |
| High school | 36.1% | 34.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 33.9% | 20.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 4% | 8.2% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 16.8% | 16.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 6.7% | 9.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,500, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
In Lavaca, expect mild winters and hot summers
Lavaca has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 93°, January nights drop to 29° and about 3 inches of snow falls in a winter.
3″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter31–53°
Spring49–73°
Summer68–91°
Fall50–74°
Nov 6
typical first frost
Mar 25
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
SafetyB
Lavaca is safer than 63% of U.S. towns, by crime per resident
At 13.5 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 88% of Arkansas’s graded towns. Violent crime is rare: 5 reported in 2025, 2 per 1,000 residents.
Lavaca’s property crime rate is 3.9 per 1,000 residents.
63%of U.S. towns report more crimeBSafety Grade
| Lavaca | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.9 per 1,000 residents | 13.8 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2 per 1,000 residents | 3.7 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Lavaca2
Arkansas5.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Lavaca3.9
Arkansas16.7
U.S.15.5
63rd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
88th
percentile among AR towns
5
violent crimes reported in 2025
10
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
High risk in Lavaca, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 63% of U.S. communities. Since 2015, 8 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Lavaca.
63risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHeat waves
8
paid flood claims since 2015
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthC+
Health in Lavaca trails 56% of U.S. towns
Within Arkansas it is healthier than 78% of the 123 graded towns: much of Arkansas scores lower on these measures.
Lavaca beats the Arkansas average on 10 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 37% of Lavaca adults feel lonely.
45%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Lavaca | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 35% | 33% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 9.9% | 13% | 12% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 25% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 19% | 17% |
32 measures vs. Arkansas
10 better22 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Lavaca | AR |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 13.1% | 18.5% |
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 9.9% | 13.3% |
Mercy Hospital Fort Smith
9.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
78th
percentile among AR towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade A−
Lavaca’s grade for cost of living is an A−
Typical home values rose 4.6% in the year to September 2026.
$209KZillow home value
| Lavaca | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 72% | 60% | 73% |
| Median rent | $923 a month | $875 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Lavaca$209K
Arkansas$224K
+4.6%
value change, 1 year
4
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
OutdoorsC−
Conserved land covers 0% of Lavaca
Just 0 of its 1,421 acres are conserved, so there is little public open land in Lavaca itself; its outdoors grade is C−.
0.3 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 1,421 acres
0.3 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Oak Bower Community Park | 0.2 mi | 4 |
| 2. Lavaca City Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 18 attractions →Spiro Mounds and 6 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Lavaca. Close and well known come first.
22 mi Ancient siteSpiro Mounds
32 mi MountainMount Magazine
17 mi National forestOzark–St. Francis National Forest
14 mi National Historic SiteFort Smith National Historic Site107K visitors a year
31 mi State parkDevil's Den State Park
15 mi MuseumFort Smith Trolley MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Spiro Mounds: Herb Roe Original uploader was Heironymous Rowe at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mount Magazine: Fredlyfish4, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ozark–St. Francis National Forest: Paul A. Mistretta, USDA Forest Service, CC BY 3.0 us · Fort Smith National Historic Site: Photolitherland (talk) Chris Litherland, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Devil's Den State Park: jaystout, CC BY 2.0 · Fort Smith Trolley Museum: Steve Morgan, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lavaca
20pages on Lavaca
The big questions
SchoolsB−Beat 51% of AR districts · 3 schoolsSafetyB2 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC+Better than AR on 10 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA−$209K typical home · up 4.6% in a yearWork & commuteB+$81K median household income · 268 jobs hereNatural hazardsCFEMA risk higher than 63% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Lavaca
Arkansas Colleges of Health EducationUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Fort Smith7.7 miUniversity of Arkansas-Fort SmithUniversity or college · Public · Fort Smith11.4 mi$7,334 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Lavaca residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Arkansas.
About Lavaca
City in Arkansas, United States
Lavaca ( lə-VAH-kə) is a city in Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 Census the population was 2,450. Lavaca was incorporated in 1919.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1919
- Area
- 2.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 423 ft
- ZIP code
- 72941
- Area code
- 479
Questions about Lavaca
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lavaca, AR a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Lavaca grades B overall, better than 61% of U.S. towns and #23 of 123 in Arkansas. It grades C+ for health, B for safety and B− for schools. Walkability is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Lavaca, AR expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.