CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Selma

North Carolina · 4,600 residents · 5.41 sq mi

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The short version

Selma is a city of 4,600 people in North Carolina. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 43%. Median home value sits at $47,000. The poverty rate is 23.2%, above the 13.2% national rate. The median household earns $15,230, about 49% below the national median. 11% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 35.3

US median: 33.0

Less educated

11% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

Stable housing

home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

4,600

−22%vs 2000

vs 5,914 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

35.3

+13%vs 2000

vs 31.2 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

5.41 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

20247K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 57.5%(344)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 97.8%(360)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 146.8%(311)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 198.7%(402)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 246.7%(308)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3412%(554)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4414.7%(676)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5411.1%(511)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 648.8%(406)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 749%(413)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 846.3%(291)

US avg: 4%

85 and over0.5%(24)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$15,230

−16%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $23,856 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$11,100

−8%vs 2000

vs $12,101 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

23.2%

−6.8 ptsvs 2000

vs 30.0% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$47,000

−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $62,700 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$297

−19%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $486 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

54.0%

+7.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 46.1% in 2000

46.0% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic39.2%(2,321)

Black40%(2,363)

Hispanic / Latino19%(1,125)

Asian0.2%(10)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic57.7%(2,656)

Black41.4%(1,906)

Hispanic / Latino0.8%(39)

Asian0.1%(5)

Other0.7%(33)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Puerto Rican10.8%(735)

Mexican6%(411)

Central American4.2%(289)

Salvadoran2.4%(167)

South American1.5%(100)

Ecuadorian1.5%(100)

Honduran1.2%(84)

Cuban0.8%(55)

Panamanian0.6%(38)

Asian origin

Asian Indian0.6%(40)

Pacific Islander origin

Native Hawaiian0.9%(63)

Ancestry

American6.1%(415)

Irish5.1%(350)

German3.2%(218)

English2.8%(193)

Subsaharan African2.2%(149)

West Indian1.3%(91)

Dutch1.2%(80)

Jamaican1.1%(75)

Scotch-Irish0.9%(59)

Italian0.7%(51)

Scottish0.7%(46)

French0.4%(28)

+ 6 more ancestry groups with data

Nigerian0.4%(28)

Russian0.2%(16)

Hungarian0.2%(15)

Polish0.2%(15)

Swiss0.2%(14)

Norwegian0.1%(10)

RANKED:Largest Puerto Rican population · Largest American population · Largest Mexican population · Largest Irish population · Largest Central American population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

10.6%

+0.5 ptsvs 2000

vs 10.1% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

57.3%

−6.3 ptsvs 2000

vs 63.6% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

4.0%

+1.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 2.2% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

20.0 min

+5%vs 2000

vs 19.0 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married31.3%(664)

Married54.9%(1,163)

Widowed1.3%(28)

Divorced12.5%(265)

Women 15+

Never married51.7%(1,804)

Married28.4%(990)

Widowed7.5%(263)

Divorced12.3%(429)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

11.4%

−24.8 ptssince 2013

from 36.2% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

41.9%

+14.6 ptssince 2020

from 27.3% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

9.8%

+3.9 ptssince 2020

from 5.9% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

17.4%

−2.2 ptssince 2020

from 19.6% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

34.9%

−12.6 ptssince 2020

from 47.5% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

3.2%

+2.6 ptssince 2020

from 0.6% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

53.2%

+21.6 ptssince 2020

from 31.6% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

46.5%

−12.6 ptssince 2020

from 59.1% 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)7.9%(34)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)22.3%(96)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era25.8%(111)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War7.4%(32)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 430 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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

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