City · Wisconsin
Alma, Wisconsin
Alma, city, in Buffalo County, Wisconsin. Alma had 718 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 716 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 788 (±88). GEOID 5501225.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
718
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 716 · ACS 2020-2024: 788 ±88
Median household income
$58,368
±$2,413 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $77,485
Median home value
$177,900
±$16,409 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $266,500
Median gross rent
$725
±$82 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $1,087
Where is Alma and what county is it in?
Alma is a city in Buffalo County, Wisconsin. It covers 5.3 square miles of land, 135 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Alma, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 718 people lived in Alma on July 1, 2025, up 0.1% since 2020, slower than Wisconsin (+1.3%). The 2020 Census counted 716 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 788 (±88).
| Measure | Alma | Buffalo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 788 ±88 | 13,393 | no clear change |
| Households | 413 ±54 | 5,720 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 1.87 ±0.17 | 2.32 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 525 ±50 | 6,522 | no clear change |
Alma's population since 2000
From 942 in 2000 to 718 in 2025: down 23.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Alma as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Alma?
The median resident of Alma is 55.9 years old; 11.9% are under 18 and 29.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 88.7%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 6.5%. 2.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Alma | Buffalo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 55.9 ±3.6 | 46.5 | +4.4 |
| Under 18 years | 11.9% ±3.7 pts | 19.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 29.8% ±5.6 pts | 24.0% | – |
| Male | 51.1% ±4.4 pts | 50.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.0% ±2.1 pts | 2.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 88.7% ±3.6 pts | 93.6% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.5% ±1.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.8 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.5% ±2.4 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.9% ±1.5 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 5.7% ±2.9 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.2% ±3.4 pts | 7.7% | – |
| With a disability | 19.0% ±3.9 pts | 15.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.9% ±2.3 pts | 4.2% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.1% ±4.3 pts | 92.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 27.9% ±5.9 pts | 22.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.2% ±2.7 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.8% ±3.8 pts | 91.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 5.5% ±2.9 pts | 2.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Alma earn?
Half of Alma's 413 households earn less than $58,368 a year (±$2,413), against $70,479 in Buffalo County and $77,485 in Wisconsin. In 2015-2019 it was $62,304 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 14.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Alma | Buffalo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $58,368 ±$2,413 | $70,479 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $70,622 ±$8,524 | $85,332 | – |
| Per capita income | $38,467 ±$3,891 | $38,280 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 14.3% ±4.8 pts | 8.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 12.1% ±10.6 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.2% ±4.9 pts | 10.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 89.3% ±5.5 pts | 91.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.4% ±5.5 pts | 87.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Alma?
Owners occupy 67.1% of Alma's occupied homes and renters 32.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $177,900 by its owner (±$16,409). The median renter pays $725 a month including utilities, and 41.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Alma | Buffalo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $177,900 ±$16,409 | $213,300 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $725 ±$82 | $876 | −$210 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 41.9% ±14.0 pts | 31.4% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,468 ±$278 | $1,543 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 67.1% ±6.9 pts | 77.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 32.9% ±6.9 pts | 22.5% | – |
| Housing units | 525 ±50 | 6,522 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±7.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 8.1% ±8.7 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 67.8% ±7.0 pts | 80.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.1% ±1.0 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.8% ±1.0 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±4.2 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 35.2% ±6.4 pts | 26.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.1% ±4.5 pts | 3.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Alma building?
Builders took permits for 3 new housing units in Alma in 2025 (3 in single-family houses), 4.2 per 1,000 residents against 4.3 across Wisconsin.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Alma work and get to work?
81.6% of Alma's workers drive alone and 6.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 26.0 minutes.
| Measure | Alma | Buffalo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 44.9% ±6.4 pts | 62.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.9% ±1.2 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 81.6% ±6.9 pts | 79.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 3.2% ±2.2 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 5.7% ±3.5 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.0% ±3.9 pts | 10.0% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 26.0 min ±4.1 | 26.5 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Alma?
No census tract lies mostly in Alma; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9603Buffalo County | 2,181 | $70,500 |
| Tract 9604Buffalo County | 2,451 | $77,250 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Alma) · Census block assignment files
How does Alma compare with other places in Wisconsin?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Alma is the 11,711th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 424th-most populous of 608 in Wisconsin.
Alma is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 424th | 608 |
Alma's figures with every place in Wisconsin (CSV)
Every place in Wisconsin, sortable · Compare Alma with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Alma?
16 of the 57 figures for Alma on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Alma are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Alma.