Town · North Carolina
Selma, North Carolina
Selma, town, in Johnston County, North Carolina. Selma had 7,406 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 17.3% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 6,317 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 6,817 (±27). GEOID 3760320.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
7,406
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 6,317 · ACS 2020-2024: 6,817 ±27
Median household income
$41,368
±$20,746 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$171,600
±$23,279 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$820
±$168 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Selma and what county is it in?
Selma is a town in Johnston County, North Carolina. It covers 5.4 square miles of land, 1,168 residents per square mile in 2020.
Selma is in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 3 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Selma, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 7,406 people lived in Selma on July 1, 2025, up 17.3% since 2020, faster than North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 6,317 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 6,817 (±27).
| Measure | Selma | Johnston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 6,817 ±27 | 234,263 | +71 |
| Households | 3,040 ±322 | 85,591 | +729 |
| Average household size | 2.24 ±0.24 | 2.72 | −0.68 |
| Housing units | 3,368 ±322 | 91,218 | +741 |
Selma's population since 2000
From 5,914 in 2000 to 7,406 in 2025: up 25.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Selma as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Selma?
The median resident of Selma is 34.1 years old; 20.9% are under 18 and 15.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 45.3%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 25.8%. 8.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Selma | Johnston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.1 ±4.0 | 38.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 20.9% ±5.0 pts | 24.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 15.7% ±3.9 pts | 13.7% | – |
| Male | 41.9% ±5.0 pts | 49.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 23.3% ±6.8 pts | 16.8% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 25.8% ±6.2 pts | 61.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 45.3% ±9.1 pts | 16.7% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.9 pts | 0.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.4% ±2.4 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 2.3% ±3.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 8.0% ±3.7 pts | 8.3% | −7.1 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 18.7% ±6.4 pts | 15.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.0% ±3.5 pts | 7.4% | – |
| With a disability | 16.4% ±4.5 pts | 13.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 11.4% ±4.5 pts | 10.4% | −8.9 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 84.8% ±6.0 pts | 90.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 13.8% ±4.9 pts | 28.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.6% ±2.3 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.9% ±6.9 pts | 90.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.5% ±1.0 pts | 2.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Selma earn?
Half of Selma's 3,040 households earn less than $41,368 a year (±$20,746), against $83,384 in Johnston County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $34,061 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 24.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Selma | Johnston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $41,368 ±$20,746 | $83,384 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $52,203 ±$8,315 | $103,515 | – |
| Per capita income | $24,614 ±$3,200 | $38,897 | +$6,817 |
| People below the poverty line | 24.7% ±8.8 pts | 10.6% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 43.6% ±19.1 pts | 15.3% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 34.0% ±10.4 pts | 11.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 91.9% ±4.6 pts | 95.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 84.4% ±7.0 pts | 89.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Selma?
Owners occupy 43.1% of Selma's occupied homes and renters 56.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $171,600 by its owner (±$23,279). The median renter pays $820 a month including utilities, and 48.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Selma | Johnston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $171,600 ±$23,279 | $305,600 | +$42,131 |
| Median gross rent | $820 ±$168 | $1,146 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 48.6% ±14.3 pts | 37.1% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,393 ±$239 | $1,665 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 43.1% ±9.4 pts | 76.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 56.9% ±9.4 pts | 23.9% | – |
| Housing units | 3,368 ±322 | 91,218 | +741 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 5.4% ±5.6 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.3% ±3.6 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 60.1% ±9.1 pts | 75.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 7.3% ±4.3 pts | 12.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 4.3% ±3.5 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.0% ±3.7 pts | 21.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 10.1% ±5.3 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 15.3% ±7.1 pts | 3.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Selma work and get to work?
80.3% of Selma's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 31.8 minutes.
| Measure | Selma | Johnston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 60.6% ±6.6 pts | 66.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% ±4.2 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 80.3% ±7.1 pts | 75.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.0% ±4.0 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 0.4% ±0.8 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 8.4% ±5.9 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 31.8 min ±5.8 | 32.2 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Selma?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Selma, and 5 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $34,142 (Tract 403.03) to $53,246 (Tract 403.01).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 403.03Johnston County | 4,284 | $34,142 |
| Tract 403.01Johnston County | 4,550 | $53,246 |
| Tract 407Johnston County | 3,900 | $44,129 |
| Tract 403.04Johnston County | 3,149 | $118,036 |
| Tract 404Johnston County | 5,186 | $69,924 |
| Tract 406Johnston County | 4,210 | $55,725 |
| Tract 409.03Johnston County | 10,436 | $85,469 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Selma) · Census block assignment files
How does Selma compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Selma is the 3,926th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 118th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Selma ranks 378th of 434 places in North Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 118th | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 30th | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 136th | 443 |
| Median household income | 378th | 434 |
| Per capita income | 378th | 443 |
| Median home value | 344th | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 298th | 395 |
| Poverty rate | 68th | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 373rd | 421 |
| Median age | 391st | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 424th | 443 |
| Travel time to work | 50th | 439 |
Selma's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Selma with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Selma?
13 of the 57 figures for Selma on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Selma are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Selma.