Population 12,449 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Alma
Household size in Alma
| Period | Alma | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.46 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.35 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.16 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.40 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.06 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Alma run small, averaging 2.40 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has edged down from 2.46 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the west.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Alma
| Period | Alma | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.2 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 32.3 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.7 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.2 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.0 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
Alma is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 36.2, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 34.2 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people, only 30 are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Alma
| Period | Alma | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.6% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.6% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.7% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.8% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.8 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Alma (11.8%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in Michigan overall (10.7%). Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 4.8 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Alma
Renters in Alma
| Period | Alma | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.2% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 37.3% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.6% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.4% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Alma own their homes; 26.4% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. About four in ten owners (39.5%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the north; owners are most common in the southwest. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 2.8 points, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Alma
| Period | Alma | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.2% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.8% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.1 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Alma: 7.1% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 4.1 points, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Alma
| Period | Alma | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1966 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1964 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1965 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1968 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +3 | +6 |
Alma is a place of older homes: half were built before 1968, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the southeast.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Alma
| Period | Alma | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $606 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $613 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $725 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $943 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$338 | +$395 | +$606 |
The median renter in Alma pays $943 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $338 a month since 2006–10, up 56%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 33.5% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the north.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Alma
Bachelor's degrees in Alma
| Period | Alma | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.2% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.7% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.0% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 30.3% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.2 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Alma than nationally: 30.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 10.2 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the southeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Alma
| Period | Alma | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.1% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.5% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.8% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.4% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.3 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Alma: 96.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 6.3 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Alma has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Michigan cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Alma
| Period | Alma | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.2% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 14.2% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −7.4 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.8%, unemployment in Alma is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 7.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Alma compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alma | 2.40 | 36.2 | 11.8% | 26.4% | 7.1% | 1968 | $943 | 30.3% | 96.4% | 5.8% |
| St. Louis | 2.48 | 40.8 | 13.5% | 19.1% | 10.1% | 1968 | $851 | 13.6% | 90.5% | 4.0% |
| Elwell | 2.40 | 50.6 | 7.8% | 7.0% | 7.9% | 1968 | $861 | 17.6% | 95.0% | 2.3% |
| North Star | 2.33 | 45.7 | 4.8% | 11.5% | 9.5% | 1958 | $817 | 15.6% | 92.9% | 1.7% |
| Ithaca | 2.42 | 39.9 | 11.3% | 20.9% | 7.3% | 1960 | $867 | 23.0% | 88.7% | 1.6% |
| Riverdale | 2.40 | 43.8 | 12.1% | 8.7% | 12.8% | 1980 | $850 | 11.1% | 91.8% | 8.6% |
| Sumner | 2.51 | 41.7 | 8.6% | 15.8% | 7.2% | 1972 | $845 | 13.3% | 92.3% | 4.8% |
| Strickland | 2.46 | 43.4 | 13.3% | 7.0% | 13.6% | 1983 | $920 | 13.2% | 91.9% | 8.6% |
| Elm Hall | 2.40 | 45.3 | 9.3% | 12.3% | 10.5% | 1978 | $728 | 8.1% | 89.3% | 8.5% |
| Breckenridge | 2.60 | 41.7 | 12.0% | 22.2% | 6.3% | 1968 | $880 | 14.8% | 92.7% | 5.5% |
| New Haven Center | 2.69 | 36.5 | 8.4% | 15.5% | 6.9% | 1962 | $883 | 15.4% | 89.1% | 2.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
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About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Alma. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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