Median Income
$53,874
household / year
Median Home Value
$251,300
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,151
gross / month
Cost of Living
103
national avg = 100

Is Selma, CA a Good Place to Live?

Selma is a small city of 24,576 in California, with a median household income of $53,874 and a 10.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 103 (US average = 100), which is 3% above the national average.

Strengths: Selma stands out for short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Selma is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Selma city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 103.2

Selma's overall cost of living index is 103.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Selma costs roughly 3% more than the average American city.

Metric Selma, CA National Avg
Median Home Value $251,300 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,151 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 54.3% 65.9%
Median Household Income $53,874 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Selma's violent crime rate is 573.8 per 100,000 residents — 51% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
573.8 /100k
Property Crime
1598.4 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Selma is served primarily by Selma Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.1:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Selma, CA National Avg
School District Selma Unified —
Elementary Schools 7 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 4 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 21.1:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 11.4% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 72.3% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Selma sees average highs of 61.0°F in January and 101.9°F in July, with 10.2 inches of annual precipitation .

MetricSelma, CA
Average High — January61.0°F
Average High — July101.9°F
Annual Precipitation10.2"
Annual SnowfallTrace / None

Demographics

MetricSelma, CANational Avg
Population24,576—
Median Age31.338.9
Unemployment Rate10.3%3.7%
Avg Commute Time23.5 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)58.8%59.3%
Black or African American1.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino33.7%18.9%
Asian3.3%6.3%
Under 1826.8%22.2%
65 and over11.6%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Kingsburg, CA 4 mi Parlier, CA 5 mi Fowler, CA 5 mi Del Rey, CA 6 mi Monmouth, CA 7 mi

ZIP Codes in Selma

Selma, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

93662

Selma vs Other Cities

Selma, CA vs Kingsburg, CA Selma, CA vs Parlier, CA Selma, CA vs Fowler, CA Selma, CA vs Del Rey, CA Selma, CA vs Monmouth, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Selma's cost of living index is 103, where 100 is the national average. That puts Selma roughly 3% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $251,300 and median rent is $1,151/month.
Selma's violent crime rate is 573.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1598.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Selma are operated by Selma Unified. The district has 7 elementary, 1 middle, and 4 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.1:1. 11.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Selma, CA has a population of 24,576, a median household income of $53,874, and an unemployment rate of 10.3%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Selma averages 61.0°F in January and 101.9°F in July. Annual rainfall is 10.2 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Selma, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 93662.
The population of Selma, California is 24,576 with a median age of 31.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Selma: cost of living index 103 (100 = US average), median home $251,300, median household income $53,874, crime index 121 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Selma side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.