Arma is a city in

Crawford County Crawford County is the name of eleven counties in the United States: * Crawford County, Arkansas * Crawford County, Georgia * Crawford County, Illinois * Crawford County, Indiana * Crawford County, Iowa * Crawford County, Kansas * Crawford County, ...

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 1,407.

History

Arma was founded in 1894. It was named for W.F. Armacost, an original landowner. A post office was opened at Arma in 1891, and remained in operation until it was discontinued in 1906. Arma was a station on the

Missouri Pacific Railroad The Missouri Pacific Railroad , commonly abbreviated as MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers. In 1967, the railroad o ...

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. It is located about 6 minutes' drive north of Frontenac, and approximately eight minutes' drive east of Girard.

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 1,407 people, 632 households, and 357 families in Arma. The population density was 1,240.7 per square mile (479.1/km). There were 708 housing units at an average density of 624.3 per square mile (241.1/km). The racial makeup was 90.19% (1,269)

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

European American European Americans are Americans of European ancestry. This term includes both people who descend from the first European settlers in the area of the present-day United States and people who descend from more recent European arrivals. Since th ...

(89.48%

non-Hispanic white Non-Hispanic Whites, also referred to as White Anglo Americans or Non-Latino Whites, are White Americans who are classified by the United States census as "White" and not of Hispanic or Latino origin. According to annual estimates from the Unit ...

), 0.78% (11)

black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

, 0.71% (10) Native American or

Alaska Native Alaska Natives (also known as Native Alaskans, Alaskan Indians, or Indigenous Alaskans) are the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous peoples of Alaska that encompass a diverse arena of cultural and linguistic groups, including the I ...

, 0.21% (3) Asian, 0.07% (1)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

Native Hawaiian Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians; , , , and ) are the Indigenous peoples of Oceania, Indigenous Polynesians, Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaiʻi was set ...

, 1.14% (16) from other races, and 6.89% (97) from

two or more races Multiracial Americans, also known as mixed-race Americans, are Americans who have mixed ancestry of two or more races. The term may also include Americans of mixed-race ancestry who self-identify with just one group culturally and socially (cf. t ...

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race was 2.7% (38) of the population. Of the 632 households, 25.6% had children under the age of 18; 37.5% were married couples living together; 32.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 37.7% of households consisted of individuals and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.2 and the average family size was 2.9. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 12.2% of the population. 21.0% of the population was under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 22.3% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 23.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 113.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 117.4 males. The 2016-2020 5-year

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...

estimates show that the median household income was $35,707 (with a margin of error of +/- $4,734) and the median family income was $65,313 (+/- $27,733). Males had a median income of $39,773 (+/- $6,934) versus $25,152 (+/- $3,452) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $32,500 (+/- $8,286). Approximately, 15.2% of families and 16.8% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 24.7% of those under the age of 18 and 12.5% of those ages 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 1,481 people, 657 households, and 372 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 736 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.0%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.1%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 1.4% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 2.7% of the population. Of the city' 657 households 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.4% were non-families. 38.1% 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 2.20 and the average family size was 2.93. The median age in the city was 42.1 years. 22.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.5% were from 25 to 44; 27.8% were from 45 to 64; and 18.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.1% male and 51.9% female.

2000 census

There were 669 households, out of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were

living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.4% were non-families. 37.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.91. In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.4% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 23.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $26,658, and the median income for a family was $36,648. Males had a median income of $27,337 versus $19,821 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $15,636. About 8.4% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the

, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 15.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The community is served by Northeast USD 246 public school district. Prior to school unification, the Arma High School mascot was Bulldogs. The Arma Bulldogs won the Kansas State High School boys class B Track & Field championship in 1952. The school mascot is now a Viking.

Public Library

The Arma City Library provides resources such as literature, movies, and internet access. The library functions as a meeting location for clubs, reading groups, and a local food pantry. The library hosts a wide range of public events.

Area events

V-J celebration

Arma's V-J Homecoming celebration is believed to be the oldest running

V-J Day Victory over Japan Day (also known as V-J Day, Victory in the Pacific Day, or V-P Day) is the day on which Imperial Japan surrendered in World War II, in effect bringing the war to an end. The term has been applied to both of the days on wh ...

or World War II celebration in the country. Held annually the second weekend of August, Arma's V-J Homecoming Celebration started in 1946 as a way to honor local veterans returning home from World War II, and has evolved into a family festival. The original V-J Day was August 15, 1945, the day the Victory Over Japan was celebrated by the Allied Nations. On September 2, 1945, the Japanese signed the official surrender document. That Labor Day weekend marked the end of nearly four years of devastation, loss and sacrifice for the nation. More than 300,000 Americans in the armed services died in Europe and the Pacific arenas. The very next year, Arma celebrated its VJ Day in connection with homecoming activities, and the V-J Homecoming Celebration was born.

Area attractions

Arma Veterans Memorial

Following World War II, the American Legion in Arma wanted to honor local veterans. The Arma Veterans Memorial was built on the southeastern corner of Arma City Park. Constructed shortly after the war, the City of Arma did the construction, maintains and adds new names to the memorial. Names on the plaque represent local veterans who have served the U.S. in any war. Recently, the American flag was added along with flags for the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines.

Carved statues at City Park

Several wood carvings by chain saw artist Ed Babcock are on display at the Arma City Park.

References

External links

City of Arma

Arma – Directory of Public Officials

USD 246
local school district
Arma city map
KDOT {{Authority control Cities in Kansas Cities in Crawford County, Kansas Populated places established in 1894 1894 establishments in Kansas