The Town FilesAlma, Arkansas
City in Crawford County · population 5,825 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $233,600
- Household income
- $68,562
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 34
- Median age
- 27.2
Alma is a city of 5,825 people in Crawford County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $233,600, above the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks more vibrant than 88% of Arkansas towns, more walkable than 84% of Arkansas towns.
How Alma ranks
Percentile among Arkansas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Arkansas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Alma is worth $233,600, above the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $68,562, which is more affordable than 23% of Arkansas towns. Median rent is $1,012 a month. 47.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Alma | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $233,600 | $128,600 |
| Median rent | $1,012 | $792 |
| Median household income | $68,562 | $50,408 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 47.0% | 64.9% |
| Median year built | 1996 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Alma
| People | Alma | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 27.2 | 37.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.2% | 17.2% |
| Under 18 | 35.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.9% | 16.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 27.3% | 19.7% |
| Veterans | 7.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| Average commute | 27.6 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.4% | 84.4% |
Weather in Alma
July highs average 91.6°F and January lows 25.8°F. About 53.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.6 inches of snow (typical Arkansas town: 2.6 in). Expect about 65 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 87 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alma since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Arkansas town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 21, 1996 about 4.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 6, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 93 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on March 5, 1999.
Severe weather in Crawford County since 1996
Crawford County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3636: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 5, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3627: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 27, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3541: Hurricane Laura |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4518: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3461: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Crawford County
Crawford County had 19,290 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,778 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Alma itself the ACS puts it at 7.6%.
Public schools in Alma
4 public schools with 3,093 students, about 13.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALMA HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 978 | 9.6 |
| ALMA MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 751 | 12.9 |
| ALMA INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL | 3-5 | 700 | 20.0 |
| ALMA PRIMARY SCHOOL | K-2 | 664 | 18.4 |
Towns near Alma
- Van Buren, AR8.4 mi · 23,218 people · home $181,500
- Barling, AR11.7 mi · 4,782 people · home $140,000
- Fort Smith, AR13.3 mi · 89,142 people · home $178,100
- Charleston, AR16.5 mi · 2,588 people · home $156,300
- Roland, OK17.5 mi · 3,316 people · home $139,800
- Greenwood, AR19.5 mi · 9,516 people · home $182,900
- Ozark, AR20.6 mi · 3,542 people · home $124,000
- Pocola, OK21.9 mi · 4,255 people · home $151,100
Alma questions
Is Alma, Arkansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Alma scores better for retirees than 29% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 6%. 13.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 27.2).
How much does a house cost in Alma?
The median owner-occupied home in Alma is valued at $233,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,562, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $1,012 a month.
What is the weather like in Alma?
July highs average 91.6°F and January lows 25.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.4 inches of precipitation a year and 3.6 inches of snow.
Does Alma get tornadoes?
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alma since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 21, 1996. The typical Arkansas town has had 24.
- 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)