The Town FilesAlma, Kansas
City in Wabaunsee County · population 802 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $136,900
- Household income
- $71,875
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 17 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 31.1
Alma is a city of 802 people in Wabaunsee County, Kansas. The median home is worth $136,900, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks more of a college town than 92% of Kansas towns, better for families than 88% of Kansas towns, hipper than 73% of Kansas towns.
How Alma ranks
Percentile among Kansas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Kansas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Alma is worth $136,900, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $71,875, which is more affordable than 61% of Kansas towns. 78.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Alma | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $136,900 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | — | $815 |
| Median household income | $71,875 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 78.3% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Alma
| People | Alma | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.1 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.7% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 30.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.4% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.8% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 10.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.4% | — |
| Work from home | 9.5% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 23.1 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.2% | 89.2% |
Weather in Alma
July highs average 89.8°F and January lows 17.7°F. About 34.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.5 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 49 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 119 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alma since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 19, 1960 about 9.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 23, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 65 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on March 13, 2024.
Severe weather in Wabaunsee County since 1996
Wabaunsee County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4940: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| June 30, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4926: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4824: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4811: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 28, 2024 | Winter Storm | DR-4774: Severe Winter Storm |
Jobs and pay in Wabaunsee County
Wabaunsee County had 1,389 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,045 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Alma itself the ACS puts it at 3.3%.
Public schools in Alma
2 public schools with 340 students, about 13.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wabaunsee Elementary School | PK-5 | 216 | 13.5 |
| Wabaunsee Sr High | 9-12 | 124 | 13.8 |
Towns near Alma
- Wamego, KS13.2 mi · 4,841 people · home $198,300
- St. George, KS14.1 mi · 1,054 people · home $253,500
- Maple Hill, KS14.7 mi · 631 people · home $204,700
- St. Marys, KS17.2 mi · 2,759 people · home $206,900
- Rossville, KS19.9 mi · 1,105 people · home $154,600
- Manhattan, KS20.8 mi · 54,100 people · home $246,700
- Ogden, KS23.2 mi · 1,661 people · home $156,800
- Silver Lake, KS23.8 mi · 1,345 people · home $169,300
Alma questions
Is Alma, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Alma scores better for retirees than 61% of Kansas towns and quieter than 39%. 17.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.1).
How much does a house cost in Alma?
The median owner-occupied home in Alma is valued at $136,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,875, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Alma?
July highs average 89.8°F and January lows 17.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.7 inches of precipitation a year and 16.5 inches of snow.
Does Alma get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alma since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 19, 1960. The typical Kansas town has had 26.
- 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)