Selma grades D− overall, ranked 185th of 187 in Alabama, mostly because of incomes and health. The median household income is $33K, and 31% of residents live below the poverty line. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 96% of the country. It also has a long history, with 20 places on the National Register. 31% of residents live below the poverty line in Selma, against 16% in Alabama’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. On walkability, just 18 of Alabama’s 308 towns do better. Its National Register listings include Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church and Edmund Pettus Bridge.

StrongestA⁻HistoryWeakestD⁻Jobs & income D⁻Health DSchools DSafety C⁻Hazard risk

What makes Selma stand out

Where Selma beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church

HistoryA⁻

Settled in 1815

A history going back 211 years.

Including Mia Hamm and Jeff Sessions.

32 measures vs. Alabama

4 better7 too close to call21 worse

Widest gap	Selma	AL
More adults facing a utility shut-off	20.5%	9.6%

Worth knowing · HealthD⁻

Trails AL on 21 of 32 CDC measures, beats it on 4

Less healthyHealthier

CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.

Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church · National Register of Historic Places

Selma’s story

211 years in pictures

Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church is one of 2 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1815, comes before those of 94% of the Alabama towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 401 in 1830, a peak of 28,385 in 1960, 17,971 in 2020. The archive holds 24 old photos and papers going back to 1847 and 2 maps from 1958 on.

20 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1815Selma is settled

Explore the history →

How Selma grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Alabama), ordered by how far Selma is from typical.

How grading works

Jobs & incomeD⁻Open →HealthVaughan Regional Medical Center Parkway Campus 1.4 miles awayD⁻Open →SchoolsDOpen →SafetyDOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC⁻Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.1 of 20; 18.1% of households have no car; 3.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB⁺Open →Cost of livingC⁺Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors2 miles of trails; 6% conserved landB⁻Open →History70 notable people born hereA⁻Open →Civic life9.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB⁺Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market86 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 38.5–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to Selma: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Selma, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerCentral Alabama Electric Coop17.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterCity of Selma, the Ww and Sb of the water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet4 providers95% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpPreferred Waste SolutionsTrash haulerTown site

SchoolsSelma City School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn Alabama you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereDallas County Circuit ClerkDallas County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2020

ZIP codes36701, 3670336701 68% · 36703 32%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Selma.

Selma is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has homes that are cheap against local pay, but it reports violent crime at about twice the Alabama rate.

HousingCost of living grade C⁺

Homes in Selma are worth about $73K, by Zillow’s estimate

At 2.1 years of the Selma area’s $36K median household income, the typical home (about $73K) costs less against local pay than in 91% of Alabama towns; that ratio is one input to its C+ for cost of living. The typical value, about $73K, is 9% below its December 2021 peak.

The typical Selma home is worth about $73,000, up 2.7% in a year, 69% below the Alabama typical home. 46% of households own their home in Selma.

$73KZillow home value

	Selma	Alabama towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	46%	70%	73%
Median rent	$713 a month	$943 a month	$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Selma$73K

Alabama$239K

Market temperature

days on market

95.1%

sale-to-list price

+2.7%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in May

Full pageSelma’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 2.7% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 2.2 years of income Rents$713 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsBehind its 2 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

SchoolsD

Selma’s schools rank behind 93% of Alabama districts

Its public schools are run by the Selma City school district. Two of its 12 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

7%of AL districts it outscoresDSchool Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Edgewood Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6	Grades PK–6	402	D
Selma High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	680	D⁻

Full pageSelma’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsSelma City Vs. the neighborsBehind its 2 graded neighbors Every school12 schools · Edgewood Elementary School Questions“Are Selma’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within AL on state tests and graduation

HealthD⁻

Selma stands out in Alabama and nationally, with more of its adults who have diabetes

Against the 953 U.S. towns with household incomes like Selma’s, it is less healthy than 57%, so its D− isn’t only a matter of income.

22% of Selma adults have diabetes. No town among the 187 in Alabama we compare has a lower share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Selma. 55% of Selma adults have high blood pressure.

5%healthier than U.S. townsD⁻Health Grade

	Selma	Alabama towns	U.S. towns
Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES)	33%	23%	19%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)	22%	15%	12%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)	9.8%	14%	16%
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)	48%	40%	36%

32 measures vs. Alabama

4 better7 too close to call21 worse

What stands out	Selma	AL
Fewer binge drinkers	9.8%	14.1%
Fewer adults who have had cancer	6.5%	8.2%
More adults facing a utility shut-off	20.5%	9.6%

Vaughan Regional Medical Center Parkway Campus

1.4 mi away · emergency room

3 of 3

care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

9th

percentile among AL towns

Full pageSelma’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore adults who get no exercise Hospitals & doctors nearby1.4 miles to an ER · Vaughan Regional Medical Center Parkway Campus How adults are doingMore adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than AL on 4 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

SafetyD

Selma sees more crime per resident than 90% of U.S. towns

Violent crime runs at 7.2 per 1,000 residents, about twice the Alabama rate; the Safety Grade counts each violent crime four times, so this weighs most on its D. At 49.8 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 78% of Alabama’s graded towns.

Selma’s violent crime rate is 7.2 per 1,000 residents.

10%of U.S. towns report more crimeDSafety Grade

	Selma	Alabama towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	7.2 per 1,000 residents	2.9	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	18.7 per 1,000 residents	16.9	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Selma7.2

Alabama3.5

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Selma18.7

Alabama15

U.S.15.5

10th

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

22nd

percentile among AL towns

115

violent crimes reported in 2025

298

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageSelma’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type7.2 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsSteady since 2023 Vs. the neighbors2 bordering towns Questions“Is Selma, AL safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

OutdoorsB⁻

Selma has set aside 5.8% of its land for conservation

1.8 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Bloch Park, at 65 acres.

#82for trails in AL

	Selma	Alabama towns	U.S. towns
Conserved land	5.8%	1.2%	4.3%
Miles of trail per square mile	0.1 miles per square mile	0.1	0.4

5.8%

conserved · 532 of 9,186 acres

1.8 mi

of trails · 0.1 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Riverside Park	0.4 mi	10
2. Bloch Park	—	65
3. Bloch Park Recreational field	—	7

Full pageSelma’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map1.8 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk0.4 miles of trail · Riverside Park Conserved land5.8% conserved · 532 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Selma?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C⁻

Selma faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 69% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 88 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Selma.

69risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingTornadoesEarthquakes

paid flood claims since 1979

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageSelma’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesHigh risk Flood claims88 paid flood claims · Since 1979 Past disasters8 federal disasters · Paid out in Selma Get ready0.5 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

Mild winters and hot summers in Selma

Selma has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Selma is 92°F.

92°summer high

Typical low → high °F

Winter38–60°

Spring53–77°

Summer70–91°

Fall54–78°

Nov 18

typical first frost

Mar 8

typical last frost

+0.7°

vs. the 20th-century average

92°

typical summer high

Full pageSelma’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 92°, January lows 36°Rain & snow54″ of rain a year · Snow is almost unheard of Heating & coolingBoth heating and cooling Then and now+0.7° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Work & commuteJobs & income grade D⁻

With 1.2 jobs for every working resident, Selma draws in 4,891 commuters

About one in 3 of Selma’s working residents works in town. Jobs based in Selma fell to 6,686 in 2023, 975 fewer than in 2013. Only 6 of the 186 Alabama towns we compare have a lower median household income than Selma.

33%work in town

	Selma	Alabama towns	U.S. towns
Working residents who work in town	33%	9.8%	8%
Median household income	$33,000	$62,000	$80,000
Work from home	6.8%	6.7%	11%

Where working residents work

In Selma33%

Montgomery8%

Birmingham4%

Tuscaloosa3%

Hoover2%

35 mi

median commute distance

6,686

jobs based in Selma

Balanced

jobs vs. working residents

B+

Walkability grade: more walkable than 72% of U.S. towns

Full pageSelma’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here6,686 jobs based here · Balanced Where people work33% work in Selma Commute times25 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 35 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Who lives here

An age mix much like Alabama’s

30.8% of residents live below the poverty line, against 15.6% across Alabama, which weighs on its D− for jobs and income. The median household earns $33,197, against $63,999 across Alabama.

No broad age group is more than 4 points off the Alabama average. Selma has lost 11% of its people since 2020, down to 16,077 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 20% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 28% across Alabama.

38.5median age · AL 39.3

	Selma	Alabama towns	U.S. towns
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+	20%	23%	29%
Under 18	24%	23%	22%
Median age	38.5 years	39.2 years	40.5 years

SelmaAlabamaUnited States

ALU.S.

Ages · share of residents

14%

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma11%

High school39%

Some college19%

Associate’s11%

Bachelor’s12%

Graduate8%

Women and men · all residents

56% women, 44% men

About 79 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±2.1 points). Across Alabama, 51.4% of residents are women. Among residents 45 to 54, 64% are women (AL 51%).

Ages and education in Selma
	Selma	AL	U.S.
Under 10	10.5%	11.8%	11.6%
10 to 17	13.8%	10.4%	10.3%
18 to 24	8.6%	9.5%	9.1%
25 to 34	12.3%	12.9%	13.7%
35 to 44	11.3%	12.4%	13.2%
45 to 54	11.1%	12.2%	12.2%
55 to 64	13.9%	13%	12.7%
65 to 74	10.9%	10.7%	10.2%
75 and older	7.8%	7.1%	7%
No diploma	10.9%	11.4%	10.4%
High school	38.7%	30.3%	26%
Some college	19.3%	20.8%	19.1%
Associate’s	11.3%	9.1%	8.8%
Bachelor’s	12.3%	17.3%	21.6%
Graduate	7.5%	11.1%	14.1%

Full pageSelma by the numbersOpen the page

Ages38.5 median age · 19% are 65 or older Schooling20% have a four-year degree Homes46% own their home · Homeowners Income$33K a year · Median household income

Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Selma

20pages on Selma

The big questions

SchoolsDBehind 93% of AL districts · 12 schools SafetyD7.2 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthD⁻Better than AL on 4 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingC⁺$73K typical home · up 2.7% in a year Work & commuteD⁻$33K median household income · 6,686 jobs here Natural hazardsC⁻FEMA risk higher than 69% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsB⁻2 mi of trails · 6% conserved land PlacesAttractions18 nearby · National Voting Rights Museum 2 mi LibraryB⁺Selma - Dallas County Public Library CollegesSelma University, in town

The story

HistoryA⁻Settled 1815 · 20 on the National Register Famous people70 born in Selma Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 58 residents Climate92° summer highs

Day to day

News9 recent stories about Selma WeatherHandbookZIP code 36701, 36702, 36703 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

2 within 15 miles of the center of Selma

George C Wallace State Community College-SelmaCommunity college · Public · SelmaIn town$4,740 in-state tuition Selma UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · SelmaIn town$4,800 tuition

About 4 of every 100 Selma residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Alabama.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

College town

George C Wallace State Community College-Selma calls Selma home

2 colleges in town.

George C Wallace State Community College-Selma1,119 students on campus

Admission: Open
Net price: $9,272
Graduate: 41%

Selma University60 students on campus

Admission: Open
Net price: —
Graduate: 6%

College Scorecard · IPEDS

Landmarks

20 places in Selma on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal ChurchBuilt 1908 · National Historic Landmark

Edmund Pettus BridgeBuilt 1940 · National Historic Landmark

John Tyler Morgan House

Water Avenue Historic District

Famous people from Selma

70 notable people were born in Selma.

See all 70 →

Mia HammAmerican soccer player · born 1972

Jeff SessionsAmerican politician and lawyer · born 1946

Jo BonnerAlabama Republican politician · born 1959

Suzan DelBeneAmerican politician · born 1962

Bull ConnorAmerican politician and segregationist · 1897–1973

Ann BedsoleAmerican politician · 1930–2025

About Selma

City in Dallas County, Alabama, United States

Official town website ↗

Selma is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, in the Black Belt region of south central Alabama and extending to the west. Located on the banks of the Alabama River, the city has a population of 17,971 as of the 2020 census. About 80% of the population is African-American. Selma was a trading center and market town during the antebellum years of King Cotton in the South. It was also an important armaments-manufacturing and iron shipbuilding center for the Confederacy, as well as providing a hospital converted from a Masonic university, during the Civil War, surrounded by miles of earthen fortifications. The Confederate forces were defeated during the Battle of Selma, in the final…

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

Established: 1815
Area: 14 sq mi
Elevation: 125 ft
ZIP code: 36701, 36702, 36703
Area code: 334

Selma’s neighbors

2 towns share a border with Selma.

Explore the map →

Valley GrandeSelmont-West SelmontSelma

Valley Grande

Visit

Selmont-West Selmont

Visit

How the neighbors grade

Town	AL rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Selma	#185	D⁻	C⁺	D	D	D⁻
Valley Grande	#179	D⁻	B	—	C⁻	D⁻
Selmont-West Selmont	—	—	A	—	C⁻	D⁻

Selmont-West Selmont has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Valley Grande and Selmont-West Selmont report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Selma with a neighbor →

Questions about Selma

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Selma, AL a good place to live?

Selma grades D− overall, in the bottom 2% of U.S. towns and #185 of 187 in Alabama. It grades D− for health, D for safety and D for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D−.

Is Selma, AL expensive?

That is 2.1 years of the area's median household income ($35,627 across the Selma, AL area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.

What is Selma, AL known for?

70 notable people were born here, including Mia Hamm and Jeff Sessions.

Post to Selma

Check your email

SelmaAL

Is Selma a good place to live?