Small-town market profile · Michigan
Alma, MI area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Alma area, each scored against other small-town markets.
- Population, 2025
- 41,190
- −1.1% since 2020
- Households
- 14,775
- Median household income
- $63,556
- +32.8% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $147,500
- Jobs located here
- 12,772
- Highest market score
- 71
- Sit-down restaurants, #63 of 538 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Alma area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Alma area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 41,190 people live in the Alma area, in 14,775 households. Population estimates show the Alma area declined 1.1% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in the Alma area is $63,556 a year, 21% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 32.8% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in the Alma area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 113, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (55).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Alma area are for sit-down restaurants (71), restaurants and cafes (71) and dentists and orthodontists (70). The Alma area ranks #63 of 538 scored small-town markets for sit-down restaurants.
The Alma area is made up of one county, Gratiot County. For its number of households, the Alma area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for funeral homes (3.2 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for real estate agents and brokers (62% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Alma area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Alma area with other small-town markets for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among small-town markets | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sit-down restaurants | 71 | #63 of 538 | 42 | 28.4 | $1.2M | 184 | 20 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 71 | #72 of 538 | 99 | 67.0 | $517K | 139 | 49 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 70 | #78 of 526 | 11 | 7.4 | $1.7M | 175 | 6 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 67 | #115 of 536 | 13 | 8.8 | $2M | 229 | Under 3 |
| Spas and skin care | 66 | #86 of 504 | 5 | 3.4 | $2.6M | 302 | Under 3 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 66 | #123 of 536 | 9 | 6.1 | $2.9M | 229 | Under 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 63 | #103 of 400 | 5 | 3.4 | $3.8M | 121 | Under 3 |
| Grocery stores | 63 | #119 of 506 | 7 | 4.7 | $12M | 129 | 5 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 59 | #156 of 538 | 45 | 30.5 | $294K | 138 | Under 3 |
| Hair salons | 58 | #170 of 538 | 26 | 17.6 | $508K | 118 | Under 3 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 58 | #200 of 537 | 16 | 10.8 | $3.2M | 105 | 25 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 57 | #164 of 533 | 17 | 11.5 | Index only | 207 | 4 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 56 | #193 of 535 | 14 | 9.5 | $752K | 114 | Under 3 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 56 | #193 of 507 | 12 | 8.1 | $4.3M | 103 | 4 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 56 | #224 of 538 | 26 | 17.6 | $3.2M | 95 | 9 |
| Pizza | 55 | #206 of 520 | 11 | 7.4 | $4.6M | 92 | 25 |
| Auto repair shops | 54 | #235 of 538 | 40 | 27.1 | $399K | 90 | 12 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 53 | #236 of 529 | 15 | 10.2 | $3.4M | 92 | 4 |
| Car washes and detailing | 52 | #201 of 441 | 7 | 4.7 | $2.3M | 90 | Under 3 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 52 | #256 of 538 | 113 | 76.5 | $168K | 110 | 30 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 50 | #239 of 476 | 9 | 6.1 | $4.1M | 85 | 8 |
| Physical therapy | 49 | #213 of 400 | 8 | 5.4 | $2.4M | 99 | Under 3 |
| Gyms | 49 | #262 of 506 | 9 | 6.1 | $1.2M | 90 | Under 3 |
| Real estate | 48 | #291 of 536 | 27 | 18.3 | Index only | 164 | 9 |
| Convenience stores | 47 | #310 of 529 | 15 | 10.2 | $5.6M | 71 | 4 |
| Auto repair and car care | 45 | #327 of 538 | 73 | 49.4 | $218K | 81 | 22 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 44 | #242 of 387 | 6 | 4.1 | $2.7M | 86 | 6 |
| Tire shops | 44 | #263 of 431 | 7 | 4.7 | $2.3M | 91 | 5 |
| Home repair trades | 43 | #347 of 526 | 18 | 12.2 | $2M | 84 | 18 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 40 | #316 of 458 | 13 | 8.8 | $1.5M | 82 | 21 |
| Insurance agencies | 39 | #358 of 537 | 18 | 12.2 | $1.4M | 112 | 15 |
| Electricians | 38 | #218 of 295 | 5 | 3.4 | $7.3M | 61 | 10 |
| Gas stations | 38 | #400 of 536 | 34 | 23.0 | $1.2M | 51 | 16 |
| Pet businesses | 38 | #408 of 527 | 29 | 19.6 | $379K | 43 | 3 |
| Barbershops | 37 | #273 of 377 | 8 | 5.4 | $1.7M | 88 | Under 3 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 36 | #376 of 481 | 13 | 8.8 | $1.3M | 76 | 13 |
| Property management | 33 | #150 of 180 | 7 | 4.7 | Index only | 49 | 3 |
| Funeral homes | 32 | #305 of 365 | 10 | 6.8 | $241K | 35 | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | 28 | #188 of 220 | 5 | 3.4 | $2.2M | 49 | Under 3 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 25 | #373 of 399 | 10 | 6.8 | $1.7M | 57 | 13 |
| Child care and preschools | 19 | #425 of 454 | 15 | 10.2 | $317K | 32 | 9 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 16 | #375 of 387 | 14 | 9.5 | $786K | 31 | Under 3 |
| Chiropractors | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.7 | $4.7M | 198 | 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.7 | $2.6M | 131 | Under 3 |
| Nail salons | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.7 | $3.3M | 198 | Under 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.7 | $9.1M | 108 | Under 3 |
| Veterinarians | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.7 | $2.8M | 101 | 3 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.0 | $5.5M | 86 | Under 3 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.4 | $13.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.4 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.4 | $8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | $26.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | $19M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.7 | $10.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in the Alma area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $15.9M | $1,079 | 113 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $41.4M | $2,804 | 108 |
| Food away from home | $51.1M | $3,462 | 85 |
| Groceries | $83.8M | $5,673 | 90 |
| Personal care products and services | $13.2M | $894 | 89 |
| Child care and other personal services | $4.8M | $322 | 55 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $10.5M | $713 | 72 |
| Medical and dental services | $19M | $1,284 | 100 |
| Pets | $11M | $745 | 82 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $26.2M | $1,773 | 86 |
| Vehicle insurance | $25.2M | $1,708 | 87 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $36.5M | $2,472 | 82 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $16.5M | $1,120 | 79 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $191.5M | $12,961 | 78 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Alma area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 41,190−1.1% since 2020
- Households
- 14,775
- Median age
- 40.1
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 79%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 568 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 73
- Median household income
- $63,556+32.8% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $83,011
- Median home value
- $147,500
- Jobs located here
- 12,772
- Daytime population
- 39,987Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Alma area?
These figures cover the whole small-town market. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Alma area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Alma area 1
- Gratiot County, MI41,385 people
Other markets based in Michigan 12
- Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area4,376,828 people
- Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area1,162,152 people
- Lansing-East Lansing, MI metro area472,669 people
- Flint, MI metro area403,305 people
- Ann Arbor, MI metro area369,822 people
- Kalamazoo-Portage, MI metro area262,375 people
- Saginaw, MI metro area188,665 people
- Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI metro area175,961 people
- Jackson, MI metro area160,060 people
- Monroe, MI metro area155,505 people
- Traverse City, MI metro area155,449 people
- Niles, MI metro area153,288 people
Questions
How fast is the Alma, MI area growing?
Population estimates put the Alma area at 41,190 people in 2025, down 1.1% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 14,775 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 32.8%, before inflation.
How much do households in the Alma, MI area spend?
Households in the Alma area spend about $191.5M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $83.8M on groceries and $51.1M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Alma area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 113, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (55).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Alma, MI area?
Of the business types scored in the Alma area, sit-down restaurants (71), restaurants and cafes (71) and dentists and orthodontists (70) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For sit-down restaurants, that ranks #63 of 538 scored small-town markets.
How does the Alma, MI area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Alma area is $63,556, 21% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 1.1% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $147,500, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for funeral homes (3.2 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for real estate agents and brokers (62% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. A small-town market is a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people and the county or counties tied to it by commuting. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 42 of the 56 business types have a score in the Alma area, each ranked against other small-town markets.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Alma area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Alma area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Alma area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.