United States › Alabama › Selma CITY
Selma Alabama · 16,077 residents (2025 est.) · 13.8 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Selma is home to 17,057 people in Alabama. The poverty rate is 30.8%, above the 12.5% national rate. Owners hold 46% of the housing stock. That trails the Alabama median by roughly 48%. 20% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $96,500.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
20% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
More affordable
home values down 14%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 20,512 in 2000
16,077 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,235 / sq mi
−9%since 2009
from 1,351 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
16K 18K 20K 22K 24K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Selma Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $33,197
−14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $21,261 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,369 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 14.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 31.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.559 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 8.2%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.9%
Transportation & warehousing 2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.8%
Education & health services 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$96,500
−14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $61,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$713
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $343 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 52.5% in 2000
54.0% rent
from 19.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.09 people
−12%since 2009
from 2.38 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 27.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 49.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.4 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 28.6%(5,875)
Hispanic / Latino 0.7%(138)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 14.8%(2,527)
Hispanic / Latino 0.4%(63)
from 49 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 11 more ancestry groups with data from 18.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 72.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 7.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 82.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 19.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 18.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 51.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 59.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 21.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 34.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 23.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 16.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 56.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 77.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 88.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 44.8%(2,656)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 16.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 33.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 11.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 38.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 47.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 54.6% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 16.7%(128)
Gulf War (1990s) 22.7%(174)
Share of the 765 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
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SELMA VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Selma, Alabama? Selma, Alabama has about 17,057 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Selma, Alabama? The typical household in Selma, Alabama earns about $33,197 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Selma, Alabama expensive? In Selma, Alabama, the median home is worth about $96,500, and the typical rent is about $713 a month.
How educated are people in Selma, Alabama? About 19.9% of adults age 25 and over in Selma, Alabama hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Selma, Alabama? About 30.8% of people in Selma, Alabama live below the federal poverty line.
Has Selma, Alabama grown since 1990? Yes, Selma, Alabama has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 6,698 residents, a change of about -28 percent over that period.
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