Editing Alma, Michigan

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Alma, Michigan 
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Alma City Hall.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Alma City Hall
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|pushpin_map            =Michigan#USA
|pushpin_label_position =right<!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|pushpin_label          =Alma
|pushpin_map_caption    =Location within the state of Michigan##Location within the United States
|pushpin_mapsize        =
|image_map                = Alma, MI location.png
|mapsize                  = 250
|map_caption              = Location within [[Gratiot County, Michigan|Gratiot County]]

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Michigan]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Michigan|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Gratiot County, Michigan|Gratiot]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_26.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=May 21, 2022}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 15.67
|area_land_km2            = 15.26
|area_water_km2           = 0.41
|area_total_sq_mi         = 6.05
|area_land_sq_mi          = 5.89
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.16

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 9488
|population_density_km2   = 621.75
|population_density_sq_mi = 1610.32

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 224
|elevation_ft             = 735
|coordinates              = {{coord|43|22|42|N|84|39|34|W|region:US-MI|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
|postal_code              = 48801-48802
|area_code                = [[Area code 989|989]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 26-01540<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0620002<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=2007-10-25}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|http://www.ci.alma.mi.us/1/307/index.asp}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_footnotes        = 
}}
'''Alma''' is the largest city in [[Gratiot County, Michigan|Gratiot County]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Michigan]]. The population was 9,488 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]. It was incorporated as the Village of Alma in 1872 and became a city in 1905.

Alma hosts the annual Highland Festival on Memorial Day weekend. It brings members of [[Scottish clan]]s and interested onlookers together for a weekend of Highland dancing, bagpipes, kilts, and camaraderie.

[[Alma College]], a small liberal-arts institution of approximately 1,300 students, is located in town and focuses on multidisciplinary learning in a residential setting.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|6.09|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|5.93|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.16|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2012-11-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=2012-01-25 }}</ref>

==History==
Alma was founded in 1853 by Ralph Ely. Perhaps first known for the Alma Springs Sanitarium, built and promoted in the 1880s by millionaire lumberman and capitalist [[Ammi W. Wright]], it achieved its greatest prominence nationally in the 1910s and 1920s as home of the [[Republic Motor Truck Company]], briefly the largest exclusive truck manufacturer in the world.<ref>{{cite book|last=McMacken |first=David |author2=Louise Davenport |year=1976 |title=Down Twelve Decades: A Pictorial History of Alma, Michigan |publisher=Alma Bicentennial Committee |location=Alma, Michigan}}</ref>  At one point, Republic was the maker of one out of every nine trucks on the roads in the United States. It was one of the major suppliers of "Liberty trucks" used by American troops during World War I.

Alma was the home of Leonard Refineries which sold gasoline and other petroleum products throughout the lower peninsula of Michigan from its founding in 1936 until about 1966.<ref>{{cite web |title=Leonard Refineries, Inc. (Alma, Mich.) Photographic collection, 1957, 2005, and undated - Central Michigan University Clarke Historical Library - University of Michigan Finding Aids |url=https://findingaids.lib.umich.edu/catalog/ehll--leonardphoto}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Leonard Refineries, Inc. (Alma, Mich.) Historical Collection, 2011 |url=https://researchworks.oclc.org/archivegrid/collection/data/438125240}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Leonard Refineries of Alma &#124; Clark Historical Library |url=https://www.cmich.edu/research/clarke-historical-library/explore-collection/explore-online/michigan-material/leonard-refineries-alma}}</ref>  In 1953 Alma became the first place that high-octane gas, 96 octane, was produced.<ref>{{cite web |title=Finding Aid for Leonard Refineries Inc. |url=http://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/clarke/ehll--leonardphoto?view=text |work=Clarke Historical Library |access-date=30 September 2012}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1870= 402
|1880= 437
|1890= 1655
|1900= 2047
|1910= 2757
|1920= 7542
|1930= 6734
|1940= 7202
|1950= 8341
|1960= 8978
|1970= 9611
|1980= 9652
|1990= 9034
|2000= 9275
|2010= 9383
|2020= 9488
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
As of the census[2] of 2020, there were 9,488 people, 3,519 households, and 2,033 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,583.4|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|inhabitants&nbsp;|inhabitants}}. There were 3,784 housing units at an average density of {{convert|638.1|/mi2|/km2}}. The city's racial makeup was 95.0% White, 2.8% African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.6% Asian, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.1% of the population.

There were 3,519 households, 33.3% were married couples living together, 37.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 19.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and the average family size was 2.68

The median age in the city was 30.8 years. 18.2% of residents were under the age of 18, and 17.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.9% male and 52.1% female.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,408; about 24.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.7% of those under age 18 and 12.4% of those age 65 or over. The employment rate in the city is 54.2%.
<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/almacitymichigan,MI/PST045221 |title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Alma city, Michigan; Michigan |publisher=Census.gov |date= |accessdate=2022-07-20}}</ref>

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2012-11-25}}</ref> of 2010, there were 9,383 people, 3,468 households, and 2,033 families living in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1582.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 3,784 housing units at an average density of {{convert|638.1|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 92.8% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.9% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.6% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.8% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 2.8% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 2.2% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 8.1% of the population.

There were 3,468 households, of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 15.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.4% were non-families. 34.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.92.

The median age in the city was 30.8 years. 21.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 21.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.1% were from 25 to 44; 20.7% were from 45 to 64; and 15.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.9% male and 53.1% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 9,275 people, 3,220 households, and 2,022 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,729.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 3,476 housing units at an average density of {{convert|648.2|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 93.75% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.53% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.52% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.75% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 2.57% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.88% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 6.21% of the population.

There were 3,220 households, out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.2% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.98.

[[File:Alma welcome, michigan.JPG|thumb|A sign welcoming visitors to "Scotland, USA" (Alma, Michigan)]]

In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.9% under the age of 18, 20.4% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,536, and the median income for a family was $44,229. Males had a median income of $35,013 versus $20,655 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $18,218. About 8.5% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 12.1% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.

==Transportation==
*{{jct|state=MI|US|127}}
*{{jct|state=MI|US-Bus|127|dab1=Alma}}
*{{jct|state=MI|M|46}}
*Public bus transportation is provided on a [[Demand responsive transport|dial-a-ride service]] basis by the Alma Transit Center from 7:00&nbsp;a.m.-8:00&nbsp;p.m. during weekdays. The transportation service is available for Alma, [[Saint Louis, Michigan|St. Louis]], [[Ithaca, Michigan|Ithaca]] and [[Pine River Township, Michigan|Pine River Township]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://myalma.org/alma-transit.php | title=Alma Transit &#124; City of Alma }}</ref>
*[[Indian Trails]] provides daily intercity bus service to Alma between [[St. Ignace, Michigan|St. Ignace]] and [[East Lansing, Michigan]].<ref>{{cite web|title=EAST LANSING-PETOSKEY-ST. IGNACE |publisher=[[Indian Trails]] |date=January 15, 2013 |access-date=2013-02-27 |url=http://www.indiantrails.com/sites/default/files/1488.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140629095410/http://www.indiantrails.com/sites/default/files/1488.pdf |archive-date=June 29, 2014 }}</ref>
*General aviation services are available at [[Gratiot Community Airport]], located about 3 miles southwest of the city.

== Local media ==
The ''Morning Sun'' newspaper, based in [[Mount Pleasant, Michigan|Mt. Pleasant]], serves the Alma area as its daily newspaper. The ''Gratiot County Herald'', based in [[Ithaca, Michigan|Ithaca]], serves the Alma area as its weekly newspaper. Alma is home to three commercial radio stations.  [[WQBX]] (104.9 FM) plays satellite-fed [[hot adult contemporary]] music, and sister station [[WFYC]] (1280 AM) is an [[ESPN Radio]] affiliate.

Standalone AM [[WMLM]] (1520 AM), licensed to nearby [[St. Louis, Michigan|St. Louis]], plays classic country music, also satellite-fed.

The Alma area is located about midway between Saginaw and Grand Rapids, and thus also receives TV and radio signals from both cities, as well as Mt. Pleasant and Lansing.

==Notable people==
<!-- Note:
· Only people who already have a Wikipedia article may appear here. This establishes notability.
· The article must mention how they are associated with Alma, whether born, raised, or residing.
· The fact of their association should have a reliable source cited.
· Alphabetical by last name please.
· All others will be deleted.
-->
* [[Keegan Akin]], professional baseball player, born in Alma
* [[Peter Gizzi]], poet, born in Alma
* [[Dan Goggin (composer)|Dan Goggin]], actor and writer (''[[Nunsense]]'')
* [[Louisa Boyd Yeomans King]], gardener and author; lived c. 1902–1927<ref name=matyn>{{cite web|last1=Matyn|first1=M.|title=Finding aid for Mrs. Francis King Collection|url=http://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/clarke/ehll--kingfrancis?view=text|publisher=Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University|access-date=9 November 2015}}</ref>
* [[Betty Mahmoody]], author of ''[[Not Without My Daughter (book)|Not Without My Daughter]]''; born in Alma
* [[Kevin Puts]], composer, winner of the 2012 [[Pulitzer Prize for Music]], the 2023 [[Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition]], and ''[[Musical America]]'''s Composer of the Year in 2024; grew up in Alma<ref>{{cite web | title=Symphony Magazine, 'In the Moment' | access-date=2015-01-30 | url=http://kevinputs.com/press-pdf/symphonyonline_mar_apr_2010_Kevin.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215013252/http://www.kevinputs.com/press-pdf/symphonyonline_mar_apr_2010_Kevin.pdf |archive-date=2013-12-15 |url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Ralph Rapson]], modernist architect; born in Alma
* [[Mitchell L.R. Walker]]. aerospace engineer and academic

==Climate==
This [[climate|climatic]] region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Alma has a [[humid continental climate]], abbreviated "Dfa" on climate maps.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=51037&cityname=Alma%2C+Michigan%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Alma, Michigan]</ref>

{{Weather box 
|location = Alma, Michigan (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1887–present)
|single line = Y
|Jan record high F = 64
|Feb record high F = 67
|Mar record high F = 86
|Apr record high F = 89
|May record high F = 94
|Jun record high F = 100
|Jul record high F = 108
|Aug record high F = 102
|Sep record high F = 98
|Oct record high F = 90
|Nov record high F = 82
|Dec record high F = 68
|year record high F = 108
|Jan high F = 29.1
|Feb high F = 32.0
|Mar high F = 42.6
|Apr high F = 55.9
|May high F = 68.5
|Jun high F = 78.1
|Jul high F = 82.2
|Aug high F = 80.1
|Sep high F = 72.9
|Oct high F = 60.0
|Nov high F = 45.8
|Dec high F = 34.5
|year high F = 56.8
|Jan mean F = 22.0
|Feb mean F = 23.7
|Mar mean F = 33.0
|Apr mean F = 45.2
|May mean F = 57.0
|Jun mean F = 66.9
|Jul mean F = 70.8
|Aug mean F = 69.0
|Sep mean F = 61.3
|Oct mean F = 49.7
|Nov mean F = 37.7
|Dec mean F = 28.2
|year mean F = 47.0
|Jan low F = 15.0
|Feb low F = 15.4
|Mar low F = 23.4
|Apr low F = 34.5
|May low F = 45.6
|Jun low F = 55.6
|Jul low F = 59.3
|Aug low F = 57.8
|Sep low F = 49.7
|Oct low F = 39.4
|Nov low F = 29.7
|Dec low F = 21.9
|year low F = 37.3
|Jan record low F = −24
|Feb record low F = −29
|Mar record low F = −18
|Apr record low F = 5
|May record low F = 20
|Jun record low F = 33
|Jul record low F = 37
|Aug record low F = 30
|Sep record low F = 24
|Oct record low F = 12
|Nov record low F = −6
|Dec record low F = −14
|year record low F = −29
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 2.17
|Feb precipitation inch = 1.76
|Mar precipitation inch = 2.10
|Apr precipitation inch = 3.46
|May precipitation inch = 3.73
|Jun precipitation inch = 3.64
|Jul precipitation inch = 3.26
|Aug precipitation inch = 3.71
|Sep precipitation inch = 2.73
|Oct precipitation inch = 3.24
|Nov precipitation inch = 2.66
|Dec precipitation inch = 2.04
|year precipitation inch = 34.50
|Jan snow inch = 10.7
|Feb snow inch = 9.9
|Mar snow inch = 5.4
|Apr snow inch = 2.1
|May snow inch = 0.0
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.3
|Nov snow inch = 2.7
|Dec snow inch = 8.2
|year snow inch = 39.3
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 12.5
|Feb precipitation days = 9.9
|Mar precipitation days = 9.3
|Apr precipitation days = 11.9
|May precipitation days = 12.0
|Jun precipitation days = 10.5
|Jul precipitation days = 10.1
|Aug precipitation days = 10.1
|Sep precipitation days = 9.7
|Oct precipitation days = 12.0
|Nov precipitation days = 11.3
|Dec precipitation days = 11.9
|year precipitation days = 131.2
|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 8.1
|Feb snow days = 6.5
|Mar snow days = 3.4
|Apr snow days = 1.4
|May snow days = 0.0
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.1
|Nov snow days = 1.7
|Dec snow days = 6.0
|year snow days = 27.2
|source 1 = [[NOAA]]<ref name= NOAA >
{{cite web
| url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/Climate?wfo=grr
| title = NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = September 4, 2021}}</ref><ref name=NCEI>
{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00200146&format=pdf
| title = Station: Alma, MI
| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020)
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = September 4, 2021}}</ref>
}}

==See also==
*[[Alma College]]
*[[Alma High School (Alma, Michigan)|Alma High School]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Alma, Michigan}}
* [http://www.ci.alma.mi.us/ City of Alma]
* {{wikivoyage inline|Alma}}

{{Gratiot County, Michigan}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Gratiot County, Michigan]]
[[Category:Micropolitan areas of Michigan]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1853]]