The Town FilesAlma, Michigan
City in Gratiot County · population 9,488 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $115,900
- Household income
- $53,307
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 39 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 33.1
Alma is a city of 9,488 people in Gratiot County, Michigan. The median home is worth $115,900, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better transit than 97% of Michigan towns, more of a college town than 96% of Michigan towns, better for cycling than 96% of Michigan towns.
How Alma ranks
Percentile among Michigan towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Michigan towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Alma is worth $115,900, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $53,307, which is more affordable than 89% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $836 a month. 65.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Alma | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $115,900 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $836 | $955 |
| Median household income | $53,307 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 65.9% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Alma
| People | Alma | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.1 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.5% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.0% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.7% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 5.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 10.7% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 19.4 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.6% | 88.8% |
Weather in Alma
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 15.0°F. About 34.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 39.3 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 156 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alma since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 14, 1974 about 7.2 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 10 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 25, 2006.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 17 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on October 4, 2006.
Severe weather in Gratiot County since 1996
Gratiot County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4925: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| January 10, 2001 | Snowstorm | EM-3160: Snow |
Jobs and pay in Gratiot County
Gratiot County had 12,359 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,845 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Alma itself the ACS puts it at 6.9%.
Public schools in Alma
7 public schools with 2,052 students, about 11.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alma Senior High School | 9-12 | 549 | 15.7 |
| Donald L Pavlik Middle School | 6-8 | 473 | 19.7 |
| Hillcrest Elementary School | 1-3 | 409 | 15.7 |
| Pine Avenue Elementary School | 4-5 | 265 | 15.6 |
| GIRESD Center Programs | PK-12 | 182 | 3.0 |
| Luce Road Elementary School | PK-K | 148 | 9.3 |
| Gratiot Continuous Learning Center | 9-12 | 26 | — |
Towns near Alma
- St. Louis, MI2.9 mi · 7,010 people · home $119,200
- Ithaca, MI6.8 mi · 2,853 people · home $133,200
- Coe, MI9.3 mi · 3,032 people · home $161,000
- Wheeler, MI12.1 mi · 2,612 people · home $115,400
- Richland, MI12.3 mi · 2,646 people · home $142,100
- Chippewa, MI14.5 mi · 4,446 people · home $156,800
- Crystal, MI14.9 mi · 2,619 people · home $194,000
- Union, MI15.8 mi · 11,699 people · home $163,800
Alma questions
Is Alma, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Alma scores better for retirees than 23% of Michigan towns and quieter than 3%. 17.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.1).
How much does a house cost in Alma?
The median owner-occupied home in Alma is valued at $115,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,307, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $836 a month.
What is the weather like in Alma?
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 15.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.5 inches of precipitation a year and 39.3 inches of snow.
Does Alma get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alma since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 14, 1974. The typical Michigan town has had 10.
- 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)