174 Mollie Dr, 2008
Selmer’s story
139 years in pictures
Census counts: 588 in 1900, 4,446 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2008 and 4 maps from 1936 on.
- 1887Selmer is settled
SelmerTN
A town of 4,575, settled in 1887.
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Skye Marthaler · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
4,575
2025 Census estimate · +2.3% since 2020
Typical home
$163K
+3% in a year
Household income
$52K
median
Median age
39.6
years
Jobs based here
3,260
A job hub
TownGrade
D
#133 of 175 in TN
Is Selmer a good place to live?
Selmer earns a D, 133rd among Tennessee's 175 graded towns, mostly because of health and safety. Residents are less healthy than 97% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. Its crime rate is higher than 90% of U.S. towns, with 28 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. What it does well: homes are within reach, about $163K for a typical one, or 3 years of the county’s $53K median household income. Selmer’s violent crime rate is 6.1 per 1,000 residents, against 2.6 in Tennessee’s towns and 1.6 across U.S. towns. Among 154 Tennessee towns, just 6 have a lower typical home value than Selmer. Selmer has 1 place on the National Register.
What makes Selmer stand out
Where Selmer beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here3,260
Residents who work1,733
Work
1.9 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 92% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
Typical home value
Selmer$163K
Tennessee$331K
Cost of livingA
3 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 89% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
A job hub
Every workday, about 2,787 people come to Selmer for work
Where Selmer’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
3,260jobs based in Selmer
27%of working residents work in town
22 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Selmer grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Tennessee), ordered by how far Selmer is from typical.
Its grades run from A for cost of living (better than 89% of comparable towns) to D− for health (better than 3%), so the D overall blends very different results.
HealthMagnolia Regional Health Center 17.6 miles awayD−Open →SafetyDOpen →Cost of livingAOpen →Jobs & incomeC−Open →Hazard riskearthquakes tops the listCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.8 of 20; 8.9% of households have no car; 1.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trails; 1% conserved landCOpen →History1 notable person born hereC−Open →Civic life4.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 39.6; 15% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Selmer: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Selmer, and how to reach them.
PowerPickwick Electric Coop13.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSelmer Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers95% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Selmer’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Tennessee you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereMcNairy County Election CommissionMcNairy County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code3837538375 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 Selmer.
Selmer trades lower home prices for longer drives to work and draws workers from Adamsville and beyond.
HealthD−
For health, Selmer earns a D−
18% of adults have diabetes in Selmer. Selmer beats the Tennessee average on 1 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 15. 19% of adults report frequent physical distress in Selmer.
3%healthier than U.S. townsD−Health Grade
| Selmer | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 14% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 16% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 47% | 41% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 19% | 14% |
31 measures vs. Tennessee
1 better15 too close to call15 worse
| What stands out | Selmer | TN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 79.5% | 76.2% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 25.1% | 14.6% |
Magnolia Regional Health Center
17.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
8th
percentile among TN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsB−
Selmer’s schools rank behind 52% of Tennessee districts
Its public schools are run by the McNairy County school district. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
48%of TN districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selmer ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 548 | B− |
| McNairy County Adult Learning CenterLargest public high schoolGrades PK–12 | Grades PK–12 | – | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TN on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
About one in four working residents works right in Selmer
3,260 jobs are based in Selmer, 1.9 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.
About one in 4 of Selmer’s working residents works in town. 24% of Selmer residents live below the poverty line. Since 2013, Selmer has lost 267 jobs, to 3,260 in 2023.
27%work in town
| Selmer | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 24% | 14% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 27% | 12% | 8% |
| Median household income | $52,000 | $61,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Selmer27%
Jackson12%
Memphis5%
Nashville5%
Henderson3%
22 mi
median commute distance
3,260
jobs based in Selmer
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 41% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SafetyD
For safety, Selmer earns a D
The property crime rate in Selmer is 20.3 per 1,000 residents. Selmer reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 90% report less.
10%of U.S. towns report more crimeDSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Selmer6.1
Tennessee5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Selmer20.3
Tennessee16.6
U.S.15.5
10th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
16th
percentile among TN towns
28
violent crimes reported in 2025
94
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HousingCost of living grade A
For cost of living, Selmer earns an A
Homes are within reach (about $163K for the typical one, A for cost of living), but half of working residents commute more than 22 miles. At 3 years of the county’s $53K median household income, the typical home (about $163K) costs less against local pay than in 93% of Tennessee towns; that ratio is one input to its A for cost of living.
Selmer’s median rent is $674 a month. The typical Selmer home is worth about $163,000, up 3% in a year, 51% below the Tennessee typical home.
$163KZillow home value
| Selmer | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $674 a month | $950 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 69% | 65% | 73% |
Typical home value
Selmer$163K
Tennessee$331K
+3%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
#75for trails in TN
| Selmer | Tennessee towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1.2% | 1.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
1.2%
conserved · 72 of 6,099 acres
2.0 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
Earthquakes leads a high hazard risk in Selmer
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 69% of U.S. communities. Since 1983, 7 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Selmer.
69risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland floodingCold waves
7
paid flood claims since 1983
10
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers in Selmer
Selmer has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 90°, January nights drop to 30° and about 1 inches of snow falls in a winter.
1″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter32–52°
Spring48–72°
Summer67–89°
Fall49–73°
Oct 30
typical first frost
Apr 6
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Selmer
20pages on Selmer
The big questions
SchoolsB−Behind 52% of TN districts · 4 schoolsSafetyD6.1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthD−Better than TN on 1 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingA$163K typical home · up 3% in a yearWork & commuteC−$52K median household income · 3,260 jobs hereNatural hazardsCFEMA risk higher than 69% of U.S. communities · earthquakes
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Selmer; the nearest are
Freed-Hardeman UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Henderson18.8 mi$25,620 tuitionJackson State Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Jackson34.4 mi$4,740 in-state tuitionUniversity of North AlabamaUniversity or college · Public · Florence, AL57.5 mi$12,120 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Selmer residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Tennessee.
About Selmer
City in Tennessee, United States
Selmer is a city in and the county seat of McNairy County, Tennessee, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 4,446.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1901
- Area
- 9.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 449 ft
- ZIP code
- 38375
- Area code
- 731
Selmer’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Selmer.
EastviewBethel SpringsSelmer
How the neighbors grade
| Town | TN rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selmer | #133 | D | A | D | B− | D− |
| Eastview | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Bethel Springs | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Eastview and Bethel Springs aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Selmer with a neighbor →
Questions about Selmer
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Selmer, TN a good place to live?
Selmer grades D overall, better than 13% of U.S. towns and #133 of 175 in Tennessee. It grades D− for health, D for safety and B− for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Selmer, TN expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.