Alma, Arkansas
Alma is a city of 5,906 people in Crawford County, Arkansas, founded in 1874.
Why visit Alma
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails, 18 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 92°F; January lows average 26°F.
Weather in Alma
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Alma
Alma is a city in Crawford County, in far western Arkansas, United States. It is located within the Arkansas River Valley at the edge of the Ozark Mountains; the city is the sixth largest in the Fort Smith metropolitan area. The population was 5,825 at the 2020 Census. Interstates 40 and 49 were constructed to intersect near the existing city.
From the Wikipedia article Alma, Arkansas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks2
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
Restaurants and cafes18
Catfish Hole
Restaurant · Regional · 0.9 mi
24 Collum Lane West, Alma
Tu-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-21:30; Su 11:00-20:30
Cracker Barrel
Diner · American · 0.9 mi
431 US Highway 71 North, Alma
Su-Th 06:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 06:00-23:00
El Trio Mexican Restaurant
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.2 mi
214 US Highway 64 West, Alma
6 more on the map.
History
Alma was incorporated in 1874. Its economy was largely agricultural until the introduction of the canning industry. Today, the city claims the title of "Spinach Capital of the World".
In his book Washington Goes to War (1996), David Brinkley described Alma's participation in the World War II effort:
In the town of Alma, Arkansas (population 776), one-fourth of the girls in the 1944 high school graduating class signed up to leave for Washington, and several of their teachers cast aside their low-paying jobs and went with them, all of them climbing aboard a Pullman car for their first train ride, looking for more money and excitement than they had any reasonable expectation of finding in Alma.
Many people migrated from small towns to the capital seeking jobs as the government and associated businesses expanded to run the war effort.
From the History section of Alma, Arkansas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship13
Shopping5
Gas and EV charging6
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Map of Alma
60 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49°F | 26°F | 3.3 in | 1.8 in |
| Feb | 54°F | 29°F | 3.0 in | 0.7 in |
| Mar | 63°F | 37°F | 4.5 in | 0.5 in |
| Apr | 72°F | 46°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 79°F | 55°F | 6.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 87°F | 64°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 92°F | 67°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 91°F | 66°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 84°F | 58°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 74°F | 47°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 61°F | 36°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 52°F | 29°F | 3.7 in | 0.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Mountainburg 2 Ne (11 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Crawford County has had 18 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-04-05: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-08-27: Hurricane Laura (Hurricane)
- 2020-04-03: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-06-08: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Fort Smith Regional Airport (FSM) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 14 miles away.
- Dyer 4 mi east, about 7 min by car
- Van Buren 8 mi west, about 14 min by car
- Mulberry 8 mi east, about 13 min by car
- Barling 12 mi south, about 19 min by car
- Fort Smith 13 mi southwest, about 21 min by car
- Charleston 17 mi southeast, about 27 min by car
- Arkoma 17 mi southwest, about 28 min by car
- Roland 18 mi west, about 28 min by car
- Greenwood 20 mi south, about 31 min by car
- Ozark 20 mi east, about 33 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Southfork Street, Alma Arkansas, John Phelan, CC BY 3.0
- ISS050-E-28445 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS018-E-24460 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS042-E-307595 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- 040i ar exit 013, Scott5114, CC BY-SA 2.5
- 040i 540i flyover, Scott5114, CC BY-SA 2.5
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.