Alma, AR Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Alma, AR Summary

Cost of living in Alma research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Alma is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Arkansas, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Alma is 91, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Alma is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Alma ranks as the #39 cheapest in Arkansas out of 69.

  • Alma ranks as the #1,347 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Alma is $238,601.

  • The median income in Alma is $58,320.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
91
Alma's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Alma, AR?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Alma has an overall cost of living index of 91, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Arkansas, Alma has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Arkansas's index of 85.

The standard of living in Alma ranks as #39 most affordable out of the 69 places we measured in Arkansas. By definition, that implies Alma ranks as the #30 most expensive place in the Natural State.

For more reading on life in Alma, check out:

39 out of 69
In Arkansas
1,347 out of 6,489
In America

Alma Cost Of Living Vs. Arkansas

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Alma. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Alma is 103.

  • The Groceries index in Alma is 93.

  • The Health index in Alma is 102.

  • The Housing index in Alma is 75.

  • The Transportation index in Alma is 94.

  • The Utilities index in Alma is 95.

Living Expense Alma Arkansas National Average
Overall 91 85 100
Services 103 99 100
Groceries 93 95 100
Health 102 89 100
Housing 75 65 100
Transportation 94 90 100
Utilities 95 93 100
For more reading on cost of living around Arkansas, check out:
Alma Cost of Living Vs. AR

Alma, AR Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Arkansas, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Alma is $238,601.

  • The Median Rent in Alma is $992.

  • The Median Income in Alma is $58,320.

  • The Home Value To Income in Alma is 4.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Alma is 0.2x.

Statistic Alma Arkansas United States
Median Home Value $238,601 $218,895 $303,400
Median Rent $992 $914 $1,348
Median Income $58,320 $58,773 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.1x 3.7x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.19x 0.21x
$238,601
Median Home Value
$992
Median Rent
$58,320
Median Income

Alma, AR Costs By Category

Detailed Alma Services Costs Vs. Arkansas

Item Alma Arkansas
Shampoo $1.08 $1.28
Movie $11.5 $12.13
Bowling $14.71 $18
Haircut $21.65 $24.26
Beauty Salon $45.0 $45.56

Detailed Alma Groceries Costs Vs. Arkansas

Item Alma Arkansas
Ground Beef $5.81 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.39 $1.57
Milk $4.52 $4.67
Potatoes $5.22 $4.93
Pizza $10.1 $12.09
Beer $10.21 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.68 $3.7

Detailed Alma Health Costs Vs. Arkansas

Item Alma Arkansas
Optometrist $99.78 $125.68
Doctor $108.55 $135.78
Dentist $83.89 $113.29

Detailed Alma Transportation Costs Vs. Arkansas

Item Alma Arkansas
Gasoline $3.01 $3.46
Tire Balancing $52.21 $59.92

Detailed Alma Utilities Costs Vs. Arkansas

Item Alma Arkansas
All Electricity $150.82 $193.99
Phone $203.29 $192.25

Alma SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
4/10
Housing
5
Affordability
6
Diversity
7
Safety
5
Amenities
7
Education
6
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Alma

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Alma. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Fayetteville, AR has a cost of living index of 104, 1.1x Alma.

  • Fort Smith, AR has a cost of living index of 89, 1.0x Alma.

  • Springdale, AR has a cost of living index of 94, 1.0x Alma.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Alma
Fayetteville, AR 97,227 104 1.1x
Fort Smith, AR 89,496 89 1.0x
Springdale, AR 87,388 94 1.0x
Van Buren, AR 23,545 91 1.0x
Greenwood, AR 9,570 92 1.0x
Clarksville, AR 9,500 90 1.0x
Poteau, OK 8,903 84 0.9x
Sallisaw, OK 8,553 83 0.9x
Farmington, AR 8,469 101 1.1x

Articles About Arkansas

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