City profile · Tennessee · Census ACS 2023

Selmer, TN

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

4,456
Residents
$48,092
Median income
$111,600
Median home
$925
Median rent (state)

Selmer - the verdict

Nationally, Selmer sits in the 17th percentile for household income and the 19th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

17th
percentile, household income
14th
percentile, home value
7th
percentile, median rent
19th
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: Selmer, TN

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 4,456 residents in Selmer, a small town within Tennessee. Selmer households earn a median of $48,092 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 18.5%. Home values in Selmer run a median of $111,600, and the median resident age is 40.5 years. 11.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 42.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 5 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 25% from five years earlier. Selmer's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2739.4 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 60.4°F with 59.1 inches of precipitation per year and 1.0 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Tennessee run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Tennessee at 91.9 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $925 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Tennessee run around $218, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 50.5 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Low).

Population

4,456 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Tennessee

Median Household Income

$48,092 /yr

Poverty 18.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

91.9 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Tennessee average

How does Selmer compare to other US cities?

Selmer measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 17% higher than other cities
Home value 14% pricier than other cities
Median rent 7% pricier than other cities
Safety 19% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Tennessee, Selmer ranks #139 of 174 Tennessee cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Selmer's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Tennessee, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

17thIncome percentile
19thSafety percentile

17th percentile nationally for median household income · 19th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Selmer's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Selmer'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 42 Avg. percentile National median
Selmer'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 Selmer's home value compares nationally

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

$111,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 86% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $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. Selmer $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 - Selmer, TN Selmer, TN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Selmer, TN-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 Selmer, TN median $48,092/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%
Selmer, TN'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 Selmer, TN. 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) 18.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 42.6%

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

Population
4,456
Median Income
$48,092
Median Home Value
$111,600
Median Age
40.5
Poverty Rate
18.5%
Labor force participation
42.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
11.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2739.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
868.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1870.8
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
60.4°F
Annual Precipitation
59.1"
Annual Snowfall
1.0"

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
4,400 residents4,450 residents4,500 residents4,550 residents4,600 residents4,650 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,473 residents 4,575 residents ▲ +2.3%
Selmer's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
5
housing units authorized
Single-Family
5
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 4
2020 2
2021 3
2022 4
2023 69
2024 5

Permit volume increased 25% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.7%
Carpool
17.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.8%
Work from Home
2.8%

Based on 1,652 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$58
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$218
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Tennessee 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 Tennessee state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Selmer sits in

Cost of Living Index
91.9
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$925/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
50.5 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Tennessee

Oak Grove CDP (Washington County)
4,483 people
Huntingdon
4,413 people
Apison
4,397 people
Louisville
4,369 people
Harrogate
4,355 people
Lake Tansi
4,562 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Selmer's 4,456 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Argo, AL
4,456 people
Charlotte Harbor, FL
4,456 people
Barclay, NJ
4,456 people
Oasis, CA
4,455 people
New Roads, LA
4,457 people
Violet, LA
4,454 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Selmer's $48,092 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Maryville, MO
$48,099 median income
Roanoke, AL
$48,083 median income
Webb, AL
$48,102 median income
Pittsburg, TX
$48,081 median income
Berea, SC
$48,104 median income
Woodville Farm Labor Camp, CA
$48,077 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Selmer, TN 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 Selmer, TN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 77.6% 15.6% 6.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.0% White 77.6% Black or African American 15.6% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 6.6% 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 Selmer compares to nearby Tennessee cities

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

City Population Median Household Income
Selmer (this city) 4,456 $48,092
Oak Grove CDP (Washington County) 4,483 $63,625
Huntingdon 4,413 $49,421
Apison 4,397 $104,741
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TN FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Selmer, TN?

What is the population of Selmer, TN? +

Selmer, TN counts 4,456 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Selmer, TN? +

The median household income in Selmer is $48,092 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Selmer? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Selmer; the closest available measure is the Tennessee state average, a cost of living index of 91.9 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Tennessee vary by metro area.

Is Selmer, TN safe? +

Selmer has a total crime rate of 2739.4 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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 Selmer, TN? +

Homes in Selmer carry a median value of $111,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Selmer? +

The average annual temperature in Selmer runs 60.4°F, 59.1 inches of precipitation, and 1.0 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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 Editorial

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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.