City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Selma, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Selma - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

24,586
Residents
$55,839
Median income
$288,700
Median home
$1,664
Median rent (state)

Selma - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Selma lands in the 29th percentile for household income and the 28th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

29th
percentile, household income
63rd
percentile, home value
66th
percentile, median rent
28th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Selma, CA

24,586 people live in Selma, California - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $55,839 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 14.9%. Selma's housing stock carries a median value of $288,700, and the median resident age is 33.3 years. About 11.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 53.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 40 residential building permits were authorized in Selma (Building Boom), up 54% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 2172.2 incidents per 100,000 residents, near the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts California at 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Above Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,664 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts California's average monthly utility costs around $275 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 99.3 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

24,586 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$55,839 /yr

Poverty 14.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Selma compare to other US cities?

Where Selma sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 29% higher than other cities
Home value 63% pricier than other cities
Median rent 66% pricier than other cities
Safety 28% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to California alone, Selma ranks #271 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Selma against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to California only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

California-relative analysis

Median Home Value places Selma toward the bottom of California's cities

Among the 1,343 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Selma ranks #1,075 - the 20th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Selma only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#1,109 of 1,338
17th percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#929 of 1,458
33rd percentile in California
Median Home Value
#1,075 of 1,343
20th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#294 of 1,450
79th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#1,165 of 1,458
20th percentile in California

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within California only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

29thIncome percentile
28thSafety percentile

29th percentile nationally for median household income · 28th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Selma's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Selma's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 31 Avg. percentile National median
Selma's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Selma's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$288,700 37th percentile more affordable than 37% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Selma $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Selma, CA Selma, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Selma, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Selma, CA median $55,839/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Selma, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Selma, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 11.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 14.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 53.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
24,586
Median Income
$55,839
Median Home Value
$288,700
Median Age
33.3
Poverty Rate
14.9%
Labor force participation
53.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
11.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2172.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
573.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1598.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
11
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
24,650 residents24,700 residents24,750 residents24,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 24,767 residents 24,702 residents ▼ -0.3%
Selma's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
40
housing units authorized
Single-Family
40
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 26
2020 69
2021 10
2022 6
2023 11
2024 40

Permit volume increased 54% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
81.8%
Carpool
10.8%
Public Transit
0.6%
Walk
0.3%
Work from Home
3.5%
Other
3.0%

Based on 9,808 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Selma sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,664/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Maywood
24,593 people
Soledad
24,476 people
Bloomington
24,324 people
Patterson
24,306 people
Seal Beach
24,868 people
Riverbank
24,881 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Selma's 24,586 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Wyandotte, MI
24,593 people
Watertown, NY
24,574 people
Greenbelt, MD
24,572 people
Bainbridge Island, WA
24,607 people
Landover, MD
24,558 people
Port St. John, FL
24,617 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Selma's $55,839 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Mesa del Caballo, AZ
$55,833 median income
Hazelton, ID
$55,833 median income
Dana, IL
$55,833 median income
Middletown, IN
$55,833 median income
Castana, IA
$55,833 median income
Kaw City, OK
$55,833 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Selma, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Selma, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 43.7% 32.5% 17.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 82.4% White 43.7% Black or African American 0.9% Asian 3.0% American Indian 2.0% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 32.5% Two or more races 17.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Selma compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Selma (this city) 24,586 $55,839
Maywood 24,593 $61,655
Soledad 24,476 $93,204
Bloomington 24,324 $81,220
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Selma, CA?

What is the population of Selma, CA? +

Selma, CA has a population of 24,586 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Selma, CA? +

Selma households earn a median of $55,839 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Selma? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Selma; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is Selma, CA safe? +

Selma has a total crime rate of 2172.2 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Selma, CA? +

The median home value in Selma is $288,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.