Altus ( AL-tiss) is a city in Franklin County, Arkansas, United States. Altus is located within the Arkansas River Valley at the edge of the Ozark Mountains. The epicenter of the Altus American Viticultural Area (AVA) within Arkansas Wine Country, the city is home to four wineries. Although founded as a coal mining community, the wine industry has driven the Altus economy since the first vineyards were planted in 1872. The population was 758 at the 2010 census, down from 817 at the 2000 census. In 2020, the population was 665 and was estimated as 674 in 2024. Altus was the location for the first season of the television show The Simple Life, starring Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie. Altus is…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Town numbers

ZIP code72821

Area code479

Living in Altus

Housing in Altus

$135K Median sale price · Redfin, April 2026

The median sale price was $135,000 in April 2026.

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Altus

—

Not graded

Altus has fewer than 1,000 residents. At that size one or two incidents swing the numbers so much that a grade wouldn't be fair, so we show the counts instead.

Violent1

Property3

Reported in 20254

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Altus

Full picture →

Most working residents leave Altus for work: only 5% work in town. The top destinations are Ozark (22%), Fort Smith (10%) and Clarksville (7%). Half commute less than 23 miles.

Ozark

22%

Fort Smith

10%

Clarksville

Russellville

5%Work in townlive and work in Altus 23 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 125Jobs based herea commuter town

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Altus →

Health in Altus

Compared with Arkansas

11worse than AR

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 21 are too close to call.

Conditions 7▼ 5 close Habits 1▼ 3 close Care 1▼ 6 close Mind 2▼ 3 close Everyday needs all close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

12.7%More adults with COPDAR 8.6% · worse 26.4%More older adults who have lost all their teethAR 18.6% · worse 21.2%More smokersAR 15.8% · worse

Care nearby

Mercy Hospital OzarkOzark · 4.6 mi · ER · rural critical access

Arcare - 169Ozark · 4.7 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalShortage · county-wide

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Altus · CMS · HRSAHealth in Altus →

Natural hazards in Altus

Moderate

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 51% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🌡️ Heat waves🌪️ Tornadoes

0Does Altus flood?no paid flood claims on record 4Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to Altus

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Altus →

Climate in Altus

Full climate →

Altus has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 93°, a January night drops to 29°, and about 1 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

52° / 31°Winter

72° / 48°Spring

91° / 68°Summer

73° / 50°Fall

How much snow does Altus get?About 1 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Nov 6, with the last in spring around Mar 30.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+0.5° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Altus →

Schools in Altus

All Altus schools →

A⁻

School Grade A-

The public schools Altus’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 82% of Arkansas’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

DistrictOZARK SCHOOL DISTRICTSchools1

Ozark Middle School A-Middle · Grades 6–7 · 266 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within AR. Ratings are from neighbors.