SouthWest POINT, 2019
Selma’s story
129 years in pictures
The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2019 and 3 maps from 1954 on.
- 1897Selma is settled
SelmaOR
With 520 residents, this town was settled in 1897.
Population
520
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$319K
−3.8% in a year
Household income
$43K
median
Median age
32.8
years
Jobs based here
26
A commuter town
Settled
1897
129 years ago
Is Selma a good place to live?
37% of residents are under 18 in Selma, against 21% in Oregon’s towns and 22% across U.S. towns. No town among the 143 in Oregon we compare has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Selma. Selma has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
520 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Selma.
Natural hazards
In Selma, the FEMA risk score runs higher than in the typical Oregon or U.S. town
100risk score of 100
55% of Selma’s expected losses from natural hazards come from wildfires, followed by inland flooding at 33%. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 100% of U.S. communities.
FEMA risk score
WildfireInland floodingEarthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Housing
A larger share of households live in a home they own in Selma than in most of Oregon or the rest of the country
$319KZillow home value
In the year to September 2026, typical home values slipped 3.8%.
Typical home value
Selma$319K
Oregon$493K
−3.8%
value change, 1 year
0
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
Selma has 0.1 jobs per working resident, so most workers leave town for work
2%work in town
Half of commuters travel less than 20 miles. The typical household income for Selma comes to $43,000. For most workers, Selma is a place to come home to: only 2% work in town. The top destinations are Grants Pass (28%), Medford (10%) and Cave Junction (4%).
| Selma | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $43,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.3% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Selma2%
Grants Pass28%
Medford10%
Cave Junction4%
Roseburg3%
20 mi
median commute distance
26
jobs based in Selma
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Typical low → high °F
Winter33–49°
Spring38–64°
Summer50–86°
Fall41–68°
Oct 12
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Outdoors
11% of Selma is conserved land
11%conserved
Trails total 4.0 miles in 2 parks and preserves. Selma’s trail network density comes in at 0.6 miles per square mile.
11%
conserved · 452 of 4,111 acres
4.0 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Siskiyou Field Institute - Deer Creek Center | 1.2 mi | 281 |
| 2. Eight Dollar Mountain Area of Critical Environmental Concern | — | 83 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Health
How healthy Selma is
Only one of the 143 Oregon towns we compare has a higher share of adults who smoke cigarettes than Selma. The town beats the Oregon average on 2 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 14. The share of adults in Selma who have diabetes: 19%.
| Selma | Oregon towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 11% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 33% | 35% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 20% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 13% | 14% |
26 measures vs. Oregon
2 better10 too close to call14 worse
| What stands out | Selma | OR |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 12.4% | 15.4% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 78.8% | 71.4% |
| More adults with COPD | 14.2% | 6.8% |
Asante Three Rivers Medical Center
16.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Selma
16pages on Selma
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
Getting set up
Moving to Selma: who provides what
Selma is unincorporated, so Josephine County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPacific Power15.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet3 providers93% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesJosephine CountyJosephine County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Oregon you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereJosephine County Clerk, Elections OfficeJosephine County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code9753897538 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Oct 2, 2026.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Selma for work
Where Selma’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
26jobs based in Selma
2%of working residents work in town
20 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Selma
About 0 of every 100 Selma residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Oregon.
Questions about Selma
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Selma, OR a good place to live?
Selma has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Selma is in here
Say something about Selma.
Ask a question, answer one, post a photo or an event. Free, and the parts only a neighbor would know are the parts worth reading.