Population 285 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Alma
Household size in Alma
| Period | Alma | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.63 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.32 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.72 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.37 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.26 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Alma is a place of small households, averaging 2.37 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. That is in line with the rest of West Virginia. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.63, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.7 | 41.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 49.4 | 42.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 51.1 | 43.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 49.1 | 43.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +7.4 | +1.9 | +2.3 |
Alma skews older: half of its residents are older than 49.1, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.
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 | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.0% | 9.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.9% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.8% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −8.0 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.0% of households in Alma, well below the national share of 11.6%.
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 | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.6% | 25.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.8% | 27.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.9% | 26.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 25.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −6.6 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Alma is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 4.0% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 79.9% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
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 | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.0% | 15.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 38.5% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 48.2% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.6% | 14.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −7.4 pts | −0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 26.6% of the housing in Alma, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
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 | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1969 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1972 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1969 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1965 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | −4 | +6 | +6 |
Alma is a place of older homes: half were built before 1965, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating.
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 | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $414 | $578 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $421 | $657 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $656 | $759 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $751 | $905 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$337 | +$327 | +$606 |
The median renter in Alma pays $751 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 29.2% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 18.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.6% | 19.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.4% | 21.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.1% | 25.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.1 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Alma: 17.1% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
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 | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.5% | 82.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 76.4% | 84.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.5% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 82.2% | 89.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.7 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in six adults in Alma never finished high school, well above the national share: only 82.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally.
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 | West Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.1% | 7.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 15.1% | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −12.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Alma runs below the national rate: 3.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. 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 | 2.37 | 49.1 | 6.0% | 4.0% | 26.6% | 1965 | $751 | 17.1% | 82.2% | 3.6% |
| Big Moses | 2.10 | 50.7 | 8.8% | 4.7% | 25.5% | 1960 | $748 | 17.4% | 73.6% | 3.0% |
| Tyler | 2.65 | 47.4 | 3.2% | 2.7% | 27.7% | 1971 | $748 | 16.7% | 91.0% | 4.2% |
| Wilbur | 2.57 | 48.1 | 5.1% | 5.3% | 28.3% | 1971 | $758 | 16.2% | 88.5% | 3.8% |
| Wick | 2.41 | 48.8 | 5.6% | 3.9% | 26.7% | 1966 | $759 | 17.0% | 83.5% | 3.7% |
| Canton | 2.36 | 51.7 | 19.4% | 20.0% | 30.5% | 1982 | $868 | 12.8% | 81.8% | 1.3% |
| Middlebourne | 2.47 | 47.6 | 6.1% | 14.0% | 21.9% | 1972 | $738 | 18.2% | 91.7% | 5.1% |
| Conaway | 2.11 | 50.8 | 6.7% | 6.6% | 17.4% | 1963 | $715 | 11.9% | 77.4% | 6.2% |
| Bridgeway | 2.05 | 52.4 | 6.6% | 18.9% | 21.9% | 1971 | $726 | 24.9% | 93.4% | 6.6% |
| Iuka | 3.12 | 40.4 | 6.5% | 6.5% | 18.5% | 1976 | $752 | 7.7% | 90.5% | 1.4% |
| Dale | 2.12 | 43.5 | 13.0% | 16.6% | 24.3% | 1962 | $664 | 14.0% | 78.6% | 3.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Port Mansfield, TX · Regent, ND · Swans Island, ME · Youmans, FL · Ryegate, MT · Scandia, PA · Wheaton, KS · Baring, WA · Brownbranch, MO · Fire Island, NY
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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