Selma Arts Center, 2019
Selma’s story
146 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,150 in 1890, 24,674 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2019 and 4 maps from 1924 on.
- 1880Selma is settled
Photo: Fruitianslip · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
24,702
2025 Census estimate · −0.3% since 2020
Typical home
$362K
+1.9% in a year
Household income
$60K
median
Median age
32.9
years
Jobs based here
6,139
A commuter town
TownGrade
D
#681 of 841 in CA
Is Selma a good place to live?
Selma earns a D, ranked 681st of 841 in California, mostly because of health and safety. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 82% of the country. Its crime rate is higher than 81% of U.S. towns, with 127 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. What it does well: it is more walkable than 80% of U.S. towns. Selma’s July high is 98°F, against 89°F in California’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns. Only 43 of California’s 1,064 towns score higher on hazard risk. Selma's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 99% of U.S. towns.
What makes Selma stand out
Where Selma beats most towns.
A commuter town
88% of working residents leave Selma for work
Where Selma’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
6,139jobs based in Selma
12%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Selma grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Selma is from typical.
HealthCommunity Regional Medical Center 15.1 miles awayC−Open →SafetyC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 11.7 of 20; 5% of households have no carA−Open →Cost of livingC−Open →Jobs & income$60K median household incomeC−Open →SchoolsC+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 47% of U.S. communities; earthquakes tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trailCOpen →History10 notable people born hereC−Open →Civic life1.7 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsD−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market42 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 32.9; 10% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Selma: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Selma, and how to reach them.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCWS - Selma water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpTown’s haulerMid-Valley Disposal picks up at the curb for every homeTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereFresno County Clerk, Registrar of VotersFresno County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP code9366293662 100%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 carries less natural-hazard risk than nearly all of California (mostly earthquakes), has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns and fares better on crime within California than nationally.
HousingCost of living grade C−
Homes in Selma are worth about $362K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Selma home is worth about $362,000, up 1.9% in a year, 52% below the California typical home. The median rent in Selma is $1,232 a month.
$362KZillow home value
| Selma | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,232 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 60% | 64% | 73% |
Typical home value
Selma$362K
California$762K
Market temperature
42
days on market
100.2%
sale-to-list price
+1.9%
value change, 1 year
10
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsC+
On state tests, Selma’s schools trail 56% of California districts
Its public schools are run by the Selma Unified school district. Two of its 10 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
44%of CA districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abraham Lincoln MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 7–8 | Grades 7–8 | 892 | C− |
| Selma HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,721 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
HealthC−
Selma’s grade for health is a C−
32% of Selma adults say their health is fair or poor. Selma beats the California average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 16. 31% of Selma adults worry about having enough food.
18%healthier than U.S. townsC−Health Grade
| Selma | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 22% | 19% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 16% | 14% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 9% | 8.1% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 24% | 25% |
32 measures vs. California
1 better15 too close to call16 worse
| What stands out | Selma | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5% | 6.4% |
| More uninsured adults | 20.9% | 10.6% |
Community Regional Medical Center
15.1 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
13th
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SafetyC−
Selma’s grade for safety is a C−
At 37.2 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 69% of California’s graded towns. Reported crimes fell from 591 to 419 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Selma’s violent crime rate is 5.2 per 1,000 residents. Selma reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 81% report less.
19%of U.S. towns report more crimeC−Safety Grade
| Selma | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 5.2 per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 11.9 per 1,000 residents | 13.4 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Selma5.2
California4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Selma11.9
California18.2
U.S.15.5
19th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
31st
percentile among CA towns
127
violent crimes reported in 2025
292
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
With 0.7 jobs for every working resident, most of Selma’s workers commute out
Jobs based here grew from 4,698 in 2013 to 6,139.
Most working residents leave Selma for work: only 12% work in town. 19% of residents live below the poverty line in Selma. Since 2013, Selma has added 1,441 jobs, to 6,139 in 2023.
12%work in town
| Selma | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 19% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 4.2% | 14% | 11% |
| Median household income | $60,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Selma12%
Fresno25%
Kingsburg4%
Visalia4%
Clovis3%
15 mi
median commute distance
6,139
jobs based in Selma
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 80% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Selma has mild winters and hot summers
The Fresno Yosemite Intl Ap weather station, 16 miles away, records that about 113 days a year reach 90°, more than in 97% of U.S. towns. July afternoons average 98.1°, hotter than in 99% of U.S. towns; January nights average 39.1°.
Selma has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. Snow is almost unheard of.
98°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter40–58°
Spring49–76°
Summer64–96°
Fall52–79°
+2.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
98°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Selma faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by earthquakes
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk lower than 93% of California towns, with expected losses of about $159 per resident a year; that rating is what its B− for hazard risk is built on.
47risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland floodingDrought
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
OutdoorsC
Selma has set aside 2% of its land for conservation
0.8 miles of trail in 7 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is W H Shaver Park, at 21 acres.
2%conserved
| Selma | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 2% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
2%
conserved · 75 of 3,786 acres
0.8 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. W H Shaver Park | — | 21 |
| 2. Selma Historical Park (Pioneer Village) | — | 14 |
| 3. Brentlinger Park | 0.2 mi | 12 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 16 attractions →Sequoia National Park and 11 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Selma. Close and well known come first.
Big draw39 mi National ParkSequoia National Park1.4M visitors a year
36 mi LakeTulare Lake
37 mi National ParkKings Canyon National Park780K visitors a year
19 mi Stadium & arenaValley Children's Stadium
22 mi MuseumForestiere Underground Gardens
18 mi Stadium & arenaSave Mart CenterSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Sequoia National Park: Alberto Carrasco Casado, CC BY 2.0 · Tulare Lake: Trace Fleeman Garcia, CC0 · Kings Canyon National Park: NileGuide.com (Josh Steinitz), CC BY 2.0 · Valley Children's Stadium: Emedina00, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Forestiere Underground Gardens: R&sbwn, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Save Mart Center: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Selma
20pages on Selma
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 56% of CA districts · 10 schoolsSafetyC−5.2 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC−Better than CA on 1 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC−$362K typical home · up 1.9% in a yearWork & commuteC−$60K median household income · 6,139 jobs hereNatural hazardsB−FEMA risk higher than 47% of U.S. communities · earthquakes
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Selma
Reedley CollegeCommunity college · Public · Reedley8.9 mi$1,334 in-state tuitionFresno Pacific UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Fresno12.6 mi$36,660 tuition
About 8 of every 100 Selma residents are enrolled in college, about the same as California.
Famous people from Selma
10 notable people were born in Selma.
A
Andrea DuranSoftball player · born 1984
C
Calaway H. DodsonAmerican botanist, orchidologist & taxonomist · 1928–2020D
David LittleAmerican football player · born 1961
About Selma
City in California, United States
Selma is a city in Fresno County, California. The population was 24,674 at the 2020 census, up from 23,319 at the 2010 census and 19,240 at the 2000 census. Selma is located 16 miles (26 km) southeast of Fresno, at an elevation of 308 feet (94 m).
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 5.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 308 ft
- ZIP code
- 93662
- Area code
- 559
Selma’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Selma.
KingsburgSelma
How the neighbors grade
Questions about Selma
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Selma, CA a good place to live?
Selma grades D overall, better than 6% of U.S. towns and #681 of 841 in California. It grades C− for health, C− for safety and C+ for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Selma, CA expensive?
Yes. That is 4.9 years of the area's median household income ($74,468 across the Fresno, CA metro 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, CA known for?
10 notable people were born here, including Andrea Duran and Matt Garza.