Photo: Fruitianslip · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Selma is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns
Selma differs from California on 17 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 16 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Selma. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Selma
Dental care lags in Selma
50.3% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 62.8% across California. Among those 65 and older, 18.3% have lost all their teeth (California 10.6%). Checkups ↓
More Selma adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (35.2%), vs 24.6% across California. Habits ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Selma
3 in 10 adults worry about having enough food (30.8%), vs 17.9% across California. Utility shut-off threats (12.3% vs 7.3%) and housing insecurity (24.2% vs 14.9%) are higher too. 26.3% of adults receive SNAP, vs 15.6% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the California figure falls outside Selma’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C+.
What’s behind Selma’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Selma is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns, #740 of 847 in California. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 66% of U.S. towns); fair or poor health pulls it down (better than 4%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Selma’s median household income is $60,241; among the 8,987 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($45K–$75K), it’s healthier than 26%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Where Selma compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5% (U.S. 7.9%).
Keeping up with care
Share of Selma adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks California.
Everyday habits, side by side with California
Share of adults, with the California figure marked.
0.8 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
26.3% of Selma adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 15.6% across California.
Out of every 100 Selma adults…
Selma runs below CA on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 4. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 13% of Selma residents are 65 or older, vs 16% across California. Cancer run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Selma
2 community health centers in Selma, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Selma; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
How Selma adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Selma runs above California.
2 in 5 Selma adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Selma and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Selma adults live with a disability (California 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Selma
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Selma is better than California on 1 and worse on 16; on the rest, the California figure falls inside Selma’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Selma | CA | U.S. | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 31.7%28.5–35.1 | 22.1% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.4%14.6–18.3 | 13.4% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.8%16.8–21.1 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40%34.4–46.2 | 27.8% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 13.8%12.2–15.7 | 11.7% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 31.1%27.9–34.6 | 30.5% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 32.6%29.3–36.3 | 35.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 20.7%18.5–23.3 | 20.8% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.6%8.5–10.9 | 9.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5%4.5–5.5 | 6.4% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.2%5.6–6.9 | 5.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 5.6%4.9–6.2 | 5.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.4%3.2–3.7 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.3%15.3–21.6 | 10.6% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 13.1%11.3–14.9 | 10.9% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 35.2%31–39.6 | 24.6% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.4%12–17.2 | 15.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 36.2%31.4–41 | 35.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 20.9%18–24.1 | 10.6% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 69.3%65.6–73.1 | 71.9% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 50.3%47–53.7 | 62.8% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 80.7%78.5–82.9 | 85.4% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.1%67.1–73.2 | 71.3% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 54.2%49.6–58.7 | 57.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 70.4%63.1–77.1 | 75.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.8%18–24 | 20.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 38.5%34.1–43.2 | 37.3% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.3%26.6–34.1 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 30.8%27.2–34.5 | 17.9% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 24.2%21.4–27.3 | 14.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 12.3%10.7–14 | 7.3% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 14.6%13–16.5 | 9.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 26.3%23.4–29.6 | 15.6% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.6%35.6–43.9 | 30.4% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.1%16.1–20.3 | 13.8% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.4%17.2–21.6 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.8%6–7.6 | 5.9% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 9.2%8.3–10.1 | 5.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.7%9.6–11.9 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.6%5.1–6.1 | 3.9% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the California figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Selma
Is Selma a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Selma is healthier than 18% of U.S. towns: C− for health, #740 of 847 in California. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 26%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Selma?
CDC estimates 40% of adults have obesity, likely between 34.4% and 46.2%, against 27.8% across California and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Selma?
Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno, 15.1 miles in a straight line from Selma’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Selma have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 20.9% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 18–24.1%), against 10.6% across California.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Selma more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D to C+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Selma.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The California figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.