West Selma Historic District · Photo: Nyttend · Public domainAmong U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Selma is healthier than 62%
Selma differs from North Carolina on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 15 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Selma. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Selma
Making ends meet is harder in Selma
3 in 10 adults worry about having enough food (27.6%), vs 15.2% across North Carolina. Housing insecurity (21.7% vs 12.2%) and utility shut-off threats (14.3% vs 8.1%) are higher too. 22.9% of adults receive SNAP, vs 12.3% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Dental care lags in Selma
51.6% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 63.6% across North Carolina. Among those 65 and older, 21% have lost all their teeth (North Carolina 13.9%). Checkups ↓
More Selma adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (32.2%), vs 23.8% across North Carolina. Habits ↓
Selma is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Selma is healthier than 16%. Against the 2,795 towns with similar household incomes ($31K–$52K), it’s healthier than 62%. Health Grade ↓
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 North Carolina figure falls outside Selma’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to B−.
What’s behind Selma’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Selma is healthier than 16% of U.S. towns, #244 of 289 in North Carolina. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 35% of U.S. towns); diabetes pulls it down (better than 12%).
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 $41,368; among the 2,795 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($31K–$52K), it’s healthier than 62%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Where Selma compares well: cancer, other than skin cancer, 5.8% (U.S. 7.9%).
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
22.9% of Selma adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Keeping up with care
Share of Selma adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
0 miles of trails across 1 park or preserve
Out of every 100 Selma adults…
Selma runs below NC on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 3. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Selma
No hospital or community health center in Selma itself. These are the nearest.
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 North Carolina.
1 in 3 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
Selma’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 3 graded towns around it.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selma | C− | 40.9% | 15.6% | 16.4% | CDC place |
| Smithfield | C− | 38.8% | 17.3% | 17.3% | CDC place |
| Pine Level | B | 34.6% | 11.8% | 14.2% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Selma adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). 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 North Carolina on 1 and worse on 15; on the rest, the North Carolina 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 | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.3%23.2–29.8 | 19% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.1%13.3–17.1 | 12.7% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.4%16.3–20.5 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.9%33.3–48.7 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 15.6%13.6–17.7 | 12% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 39.4%35.2–43.4 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.7%30.6–38.9 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 26.3%23.2–29.4 | 26.9% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11.4%10–12.8 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.8%5.3–6.5 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 6.8%6–7.5 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.7%6.7–8.7 | 7.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.4%4–4.7 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 21%17.3–25.1 | 13.9% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.4%14–19 | 13.5% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 32.2%27.3–37.2 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 12.9%10.5–15.6 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.9%33.4–46.5 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 19.7%16.8–22.7 | 10.4% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.5%76–82.8 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51.6%47.6–55.6 | 63.6% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.5%83.4–87.4 | 87.5% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 76.3%73.5–79 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 61.8%56.4–66.8 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.4%69.7–83.7 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.7%19.2–26.3 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 35.3%30.1–40.5 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 26.9%23–30.9 | 22.5% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 27.6%23.8–31.4 | 15.2% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 21.7%18.8–24.7 | 12.2% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 14.3%12.4–16.2 | 8.1% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 13.8%12.1–15.6 | 8.4% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 22.9%19.8–26.2 | 12.3% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39%34.4–43.9 | 32% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.2%15.9–20.6 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 18.4%16.3–20.8 | 14.8% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.1%6.2–7.9 | 7.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 8.3%7.5–9.2 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 10.8%9.6–12 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.8%5.2–6.3 | 4% | 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 North Carolina 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 16% of U.S. towns: ≈ C− for health, #244 of 289 in North Carolina. 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 40.9% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.3% and 48.7%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Selma?
Johnston Health in Smithfield, 4.1 miles in a straight line from Selma’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Selma have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 19.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 16.8–22.7%), against 10.4% across North Carolina.
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 B−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Selma.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The North Carolina 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.