Español

Este sitio también está en español. Leer en español

City · 5,906 residents · Crawford County, Arkansas

Alma , Arkansas

In Alma, a typical home is worth $233,600 and typical rent is $1,012 a month. Compared with all of Crawford County, the typical home value is 28% higher, typical rent is 19% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 28 points lower.

WhatsApp

  • Typical home value

    $233,600

    28% above the county

    24% above Arkansas

    • Alma
    • Crawford
    • Arkansas

  • Typical rent

    $1,012a month

    19% above the county

    7% above Arkansas

    • Alma
    • Crawford
    • Arkansas

  • Typical household income

    $68,562a year

    7% above the county

    13% above Arkansas

    • Alma
    • Crawford
    • Arkansas

  • Households that own their home

    47%

    28 points below the county

    19 points below Arkansas

    • Alma
    • Crawford
    • Arkansas

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$252,330
5.5% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Alma is in Crawford County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Crawford County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Alma apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. 47% of households in Alma own their home, against 75% in Crawford County.

  2. Nearby, in Barling, the typical home value is $140,000: 40% less than in Alma ($233,600).

  3. The typical home in Alma is worth $233,600, 28% more than in Crawford County as a whole ($182,800).

  4. Nearby, in Greenwood, the typical rent is $836: 17% less than in Alma ($1,012).

  5. The typical rent in Alma is $1,012 a month, 19% more than in Crawford County as a whole ($851).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Alma

What homes there are in Alma, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

The detached house is still the most common home in Alma, but it weighs less than in Crawford County: 68% against 77%.

Year built

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,456 a month

Crawford County: $1,262 a month

Without a mortgage

$467 a month

Crawford County: $442 a month

Owners with a mortgage

61%

Crawford County: 51%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Alma is $1,456 a month, more than in Crawford County ($1,262); without one, $467.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Much as in Crawford County, the typical home value in Alma rose 60% since 2015–2019.

Rents in Alma rose faster than in Crawford County: 65% since 2015–2019, against 21%.

The typical household income in Alma rose 67% over that time; home values changed +60% and rent +65%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureAlmaCrawford CountyArkansasUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate6.4%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1.1%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate3.4%2.7%3.4%
People per household 3.082.592.462.53
Drive alone 85%82%79%69%
Carpool Unreliable estimate10%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate2%3%
Work from home Unreliable estimate6%9%15%
Other means Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes

On average, a household in Alma has 3.08 people, more than in Crawford County (2.59).

To get to work, 85% of workers in Alma drive alone; in Crawford County, 82%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Alma?

A typical home is tight for the typical income

We start with a typical home in Alma, worth $233,600, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 33% of the typical household income in Alma, which is $68,562 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $79,780 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Crawford County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Alma. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $8,176 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,862

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$229,369
Total interest
$330,008
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $3,945 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,600 a month

  • Tight

    $1,600 to $2,057 a month

    Your payment · 33%

  • Hard

    more than $2,057 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Alma ($68,562 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,862
Principal & interest$1,554
Property tax$107
Home insurance$97
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$103

You need at least $8,176 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Alma and Crawford County

Alma is in Crawford County, Arkansas. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Alma's own numbers

Typical home value
$233,600
Typical monthly rent
$1,012
Typical yearly household income
$68,562
Households that own their home
47%
Effective property tax rate
0.55%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Crawford County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$979
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+62%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.9%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Crawford County.

Everything about Crawford County

Buying

Buying a home in Alma

A typical home in Alma is worth $233,600: 28% above the county and 24% above Arkansas. With the typical household income in Alma ($68,562 a year), a typical home costs 3.4 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Alma 3.4 years
  • Crawford 2.9 years
  • Arkansas 3.1 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Crawford County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Crawford County rose 90% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Crawford County.

Period County Arkansas U.S.
Last year (2025) +4.6% +3.4% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +62% +52% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +90% +79% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Alma next to Crawford County, Arkansas and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Alma $233,600
  • Crawford $182,800
  • Arkansas $188,000
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Alma $1,012
  • Crawford $851
  • Arkansas $947
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Alma $68,562
  • Crawford $64,132
  • Arkansas $60,773
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Alma next to Crawford County and Arkansas
Measure Alma Crawford County Arkansas U.S.
Typical home value $233,600 $182,800 $188,000 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,012 $851 $947 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $68,562 $64,132 $60,773 $80,734
Households that own their home 47% 75% 66% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,284 $982 $1,040 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.55% 0.54% 0.55% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 37% 40% 45% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Crawford County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Alma

For a typical $233,600 home in Alma, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Alma's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,862a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $8,176
    Cash to close
    $15,184
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $103

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,819a month

    Down payment
    $11,680
    Cash to close
    $18,688
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $111

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,470a month

    Down payment
    $46,720
    Cash to close
    $53,728
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,686a month

    Down payment
    $35,040
    Cash to close
    $42,048
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Alma and for Crawford County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Alma

0.55%of the home’s value each year

$1,284 a year for the typical owner in Alma.

  • Alma 0.55%
  • Crawford 0.54%
  • Arkansas 0.55%

What Arkansas publishes Homestead property tax credit (Arkansas General Assembly (Act 174 of the 2026 Fiscal Session))

Exemptions and deadlines in Arkansas

Flood risk in Crawford County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Crawford County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
1.9%
486
Of those, with NFIP insurance
16%
County Arkansas U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1.9% 3.4% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 16% 17% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Alma

Typical rent in Alma is $1,012 a month: 19% above the county. In Alma, 37% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Crawford County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($979 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $18.83 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Crawford County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $741 $14.25 $29,640
1 bedroom $748 $14.38 $29,920
2 bedrooms $979 $18.83 $39,160
3 bedrooms $1,324 $25.46 $52,960
4 bedrooms $1,625 $31.25 $65,000

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Alma

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Alma is in ZIP code 72921.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,090: $111 more than the fair market rent for Crawford County ($979).

  • 72921 $1,090$1,470

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Alma when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Alma

HUD lists 5 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Alma. These are the largest.

  • Chitwood Apts. 818 Chitwood St, Alma 72921 92 low-income homes · Run by Housing Authority of the City of Alma · Average payment: $387 a month · Average wait: 6 months (479) 632-2043
  • Alma Gardens Apartments 210 Marlin Dr, Alma 72921 56 low-income homes · 2 bd: 24 · 3 bd: 32 · In service since 2004
  • Garden Walk of Alma Fka Ashwood Place 800 Harris Dr, Alma 72921 26 low-income homes · Studio: 1 · 1 bd: 1 · 2 bd: 15 · 3 bd: 9 · In service since 1999
  • Lindenwood Apts 1220 Lakeview Estates Dr, Alma 72921 25 homes, 24 low-income · 1 bd: 4 · 2 bd: 20 · In service since 2009
  • Savannah Park of Alma 200 Thicksten Dr, Alma 72921 24 low-income homes · 1 bd: 14 · 2 bd: 10 · In service since 2010

See all 21 buildings in Crawford County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Alma

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Crawford County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

An older man and his daughter go over papers with a professional.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Alma

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Alma or Crawford County. The ones below are statewide in Arkansas: they work in Alma the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Arkansas

  • ADFA Down Payment Assistance Loan Program

    Statewide in Arkansas

    Arkansas state authority second mortgage of $1,000 to $15,000 for the down payment and closing costs, over 10 years and at the same rate as the ADFA first mortgage (Move-Up or StartSmart). Offered by Arkansas Development Finance Authority (ADFA).

    Repayable

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Alma

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Alma, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Crawford Sebastian Community Development Council

    1617 S Zero St, Fort Smith · 16 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Fair housing pre-purchase workshops
    • and 4 more
    (479) 785-2303

  • Credit Counseling of Arkansas

    1111 E Zion Rd, Fayetteville · 44 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in other languages.

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 3 more
    (479) 521-8877

  • Credit Counseling of Arkansas - Bentonville

    17320 Moberly Ln., Suite 3, Bentonville · 60 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in other languages.

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 2 more
    (479) 521-8877

All counseling agencies in Arkansas

Help in Spanish near Alma

3 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Alma

HUD’s record names them for Alma or Crawford County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

2 other authorities have an office in Crawford County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Crawford County

These cities are also in Crawford County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Crawford County Housing in Arkansas

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Alma, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Crawford County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Alma.

All guides
Two girls write and draw together at the living-room table.

Questions

Housing questions about Alma

Short answers with the numbers for Alma and all of Crawford County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Alma?

The typical home value in Alma is $233,600, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Crawford County it is $182,800.

How much does it cost to rent in Alma?

Typical rent in Alma is $1,012 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Crawford County is $979.

What is the FHA loan limit in Alma?

Alma uses the FHA limit for all of Crawford County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Alma?

The typical homeowner in Alma pays $1,284 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.55% of the home’s value; in Crawford County, the rate is 0.54%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Alma?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Crawford County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).