Ozark County, Missouri · Gainesville
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Pipes freeze in Ozark County on about 19 nights a year, mostly December to February. Older homes, 20% of the stock here, are most at risk.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 13.1 times a year here, most often in May. A sump pump that hasn't run since last season is a common weak point.
Backups often follow heavy rain, which Ozark County gets about 13.1 days a year, when storm water overloads sewer mains and pushes up through the lowest drain in the house.
Roof leaks here come from summer downpours and, with about 73 freeze-thaw days a year, from winter ice dams. Most show up as ceiling stains in the room below.
60% of occupied homes in Ozark County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the Missouri county median of 24.5%.
About 64 nights a year here stay at 65°F or warmer, so basements and crawl spaces can grow mold even without a leak.
Local risk profile
About 8,873 people live in Ozark County, 745 square miles in southern Missouri, in roughly 5,030 homes. Gainesville is the county seat; Bakersfield, Sundown and Theodosia are the next largest communities. The county's median home was built in 1980.
42/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Moderate Ozark County ranks 85 of 114 Missouri counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Ozark County ranks highest compared with other Missouri counties.
Ozark County is milder than most of Missouri, but not mild enough to skip winterizing. In the 2015–2024 record the county logged about 19 nights a year at or below 20°F (100th of 114) and 81 below freezing. Twenty degrees is roughly where uninsulated pipes start to freeze.
On February 16, 2021 the low fell to about -8°F, and in the stretch ending February 2021 the county went 10 days in a row below freezing. Leaks from split pipes typically appear the day the thaw arrives.
Most freezing nights fall from December to February, peaking in January. Disconnect garden hoses and shut off outdoor spigots before the first hard frost, and keep the heat at 55°F or higher if you'll be away.
On average the first fall freeze arrives around Oct 28 and the last spring freeze around Apr 3.
Heavy rain is a bigger factor here than in most of Missouri. Of roughly 52.5 inches of yearly precipitation, the damage comes from the 13.1 days a year with an inch or more, ranked 10th of 114. March, April and May see the most. The single wettest day in the record: 4.95 inches, November 5, 2024. Multi-day storms matter most for basements; the wettest three days on record here totaled 9.84 inches (through November 5, 2024).
Freeze-thaw days, below freezing overnight and above it by afternoon, come about 73 times a year here. They're the main driver of ice dams and of water working its way through foundation cracks in late winter.
Housing
51% of homes in Ozark County predate 1980, close to the Missouri county median of 53%, which ranks 65th of Missouri's 114 counties.
The mix runs from 20% built before 1960 to 23% built since 2000, so older neighborhoods bring aging pipe while newer subdivisions bring failed appliance lines and water heaters.
The 1980s and 1990s account for 27% of the county's homes. If yours is from those decades, look under the sinks and at the water heater for gray plastic pipe stamped PB, which is polybutylene and leak-prone.
Here 18% of housing is manufactured homes. Check the skirting and the heat tape on the main water line every fall, because that one exposed line is what freezes.
The Census counted 26% of homes as vacant, above the Missouri county median of 15.3%. Empty houses are where a small leak turns into a large claim, because nobody is there to hear it.
Beyond water
Summer nights that don't drop below 65°F, a good marker of humid air, come about 64 times a year here, close to the Missouri county median of 64.5. Mold grows when indoor humidity stays above about 60%, the EPA's ceiling. A basement dehumidifier set to 50% and drying anything wet within 24 to 48 hours prevents most problems.
Mold remediation: what to expectMain heating fuel in Ozark County's occupied homes: 1% utility gas, 38% electric, 40% propane and 20% wood. Wood and propane heat are more common here than the state median. Have chimneys swept and fuel-burning appliances serviced each fall, and keep three feet clear around stoves and space heaters.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Ozark County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Douglas and Taney get more pipe-freeze nights than Ozark. Its housing is the oldest in the area by share of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Ozark | Missouri median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 20% | 25% | 82 of 114 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 51% | 53% | 65 of 114 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 23% | 21% | 46 of 114 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 18% | 9.8% | 10 of 114 |
| Vacant homes | 26% | 15% | 16 of 114 |
| Wood or propane heat | 60% | 25% | 2 of 114 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 19/yr | 28/yr | 100 of 114 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 13/yr | 10/yr | 10 of 114 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 73/yr | 77/yr | 81 of 114 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 64/yr | 65/yr | 58 of 114 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest Missouri county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Ozark County: freezing from December to February, heavy rain in March, April and May.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024); weather from NOAA nClimGrid-Daily county averages (EpiNOAA), 2015–2024, averaged across the county; county boundaries from Census TIGER. Reviewed 2026-10-21. Methodology