Small-town living in the former Spinach Capital of the World
Alma is a small city in central Crawford County, close to the Oklahoma border. It was known as Gum Town in the 1870s for its sweet gum trees, and timber was once a main export. Spinach became big in the 1960s when the Allen Canning Company, which canned over half the spinach consumed in the country at the time, opened an Alma location. The city even titled itself the “Spinach Capital of the World,” and a bronze Popeye statue still stands downtown. Food processing remains a leading industry, along with health care and education. The Alma School District is a top regional employer. “Alma is a small, family-friendly town," says Phillip Faucette, a Keller Williams Realtor who’s lived in Alma with his family for almost two decades. "It’s just big enough that you don’t know everybody, but you know a lot of people. And we love the people.”
Alma School District’s nationally recognized fine arts program
“The school district is definitely one of the biggest reasons people move here. We have great schools,” Faucette says. Alma School District earns a B-plus from Niche, and serves just over 3,000 students across four schools: a primary, intermediate, middle and high school. Arkansas allows interdistrict transfers by application. “They have a fantastic fine arts program. The high school kids put on some amazing theater, choir and dance performances,” Faucette says. The B-rated high school’s symphonic and concert bands earned the Arkansas School Band & Orchestra Association’s Sweepstakes Award for the 25th consecutive year in 2025. The Skokos Performing Arts Center hosts student performances in addition to professional touring shows. The PAC’s pre-professional work program allows high schoolers to learn stagecraft and costuming at the theatre.
Alma’s median home price on par with the state’s
Most homes are New Traditional, Cape Cod and ranch-style. According to the Arkansas Association of Realtors market data, the median sale price, at $250,000, is on par with the state median. While homes typically sell for between $24,000 and $750,000, custom-built estates with several acres of land can go for more than $1 million.
The flood risk increases with proximity to the bayous branching from the Arkansas River to the south. White County sits in Tornado Alley, and as such, is subject to potential tornadoes.
Outdoor recreation at Alma City Park & Aquatic Center and more
The aquatic center at Alma City Park is one of the largest outdoor water parks in western Arkansas, with six slides, a diving board, a climbing wall and several pools. “People from all around come to the aquatic center. It’s better than the one in Fort Smith,” Faucette says. The park area has a tennis complex and a disc golf course. Multiuse trails weave around Alma City Park & Aquatic Center and Lake Alma. All five trails are under 5-miles long. The lake also has a public fishing pier. The city’s annual July 4th fireworks are launched from the lake’s dam, just north of the park. In downtown, the Alma Public Library is not far from Popeye Garden, home of the iconic bronze statue. “It’s a really nice little pocket park. A lot of people go there to take prom or senior photos,” Faucette says. Lake Fort Smith State Park, just over 20 miles away, is also a popular outdoor recreation area. “It’s about 25 minutes away, and it’s a very nice state park where everyone goes to fish, kayak and canoe,” Faucette says. Boat rentals, from kayaks and canoes up to pontoon boats, are available.
Retailers and restaurants are near major highway junctions
The central business district is clustered around the intersections of U.S. Route 71, Interstate 40 and U.S. Route 64 Business. National retailers like Walmart Supercenter and O’Reilly are close to local businesses like Alma Farm Supply and Alma Tractor & Equipment. Popular restaurants are also scattered along the busy corridors. Faucette says El Trio Mexican Restaurant and Pizza Parlour Alma are two local favorites. “People also really like Catfish Hole, for the hushpuppies,” Faucette says. The family-owned seafood eatery won the 2024 Fort Smith Community’s Choice Award for best fish.
Quick access to highways, hospitals and Fort Smith Regional Airport
Interstate 40 runs through Alma, connecting west to Oklahoma and east/southeast toward Little Rock. The nearly 150-mile drive to the state capital takes around two hours in light traffic. Interstate 49 forks from I-40 heading north toward Fayetteville, about 45 miles away. Baptist Health Van Buren and Mercy Hospital Fort Smith are within 20 miles of most homes. Fort Smith Regional Airport, about 16 miles southwest, has daily flights to Dallas Fort Worth.
