Selma’s small-town vibe is supported by agriculture and the manufacturing of farm equipment. “It’s a hardworking, blue-collar town,” says Luke Carlson, a Realtor who sells homes in the area for London Properties. “There isn’t much to do there, but people like it because it gets them away from the big city.” Peaches and beef are major local exports, but the town's official slogan is "Raisin Capital of the World." While some locals commute into Fresno for work, shopping can be done close to home, either at locally owned stores downtown or at big-box chains along Highway 99. The community comes together for small events at local parks, and low housing costs contribute to the area’s overall growth.
In the Selma General Plan, first adopted in 2010, town officials outline their goals to promote subdivision-style development on both sides of Highway 99 while extending town-wide bike and pedestrian pathways. As of fall 2024, construction had yet to begin on any related projects. In 2024, the Selma Downtown Business Improvement District created a grant program that allows local shops to receive 50% reimbursement for storefront renovations. The goal is to improve downtown aesthetics and create a better sense of community.
Legends Tap House & Grill's landmark windmill draws travelers on Highway 99 into Selma.
Selma is a family friendly community in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley.
1/2
Newer subdivisions around the city's edges
Homes in Selma sell for a median price of about $350,000, lower than the national median of $416,700. Due to increased demand and limited new construction, median home prices in Selma rose 7% from fall 2023 to fall 2024. The oldest homes in Selma include 1920s cottages, typically clustered around downtown. Homes outside of downtown get progressively newer; at the town’s edges, 21st-century subdivisions have either minimal bungalows or large custom builds. These recently built properties can range from $550,000 to $950,000, mostly depending on acreage.
New contemporary homes are being built along the edges of Selma.
Cottage style homes are available in the older sections of Selma.
Craftsman homes can be found near the downtown area of Selma.
There are Spanish style homes in the newer subdivisions of Selma.
1/4
Community events at Lincoln Park
Selma has multiple parks, most with playgrounds and grassy fields. W.H. Shafer Park is the town's largest green space, with several athletic fields, and Lincoln Park is right next to downtown, with benches and a bandstand. Berry Park is popular for its skate park, while Brentlinger Park offers tennis and pickleball courts. The Selma Little League Team is headquartered on Olive Street, next to Wilson Elementary School.
The Selma District Chamber of Commerce organizes community events in support of local businesses. The Raisin Festival, a tradition for over 40 years, is held over five days in May at Lincoln Park with carnival rides and a raffle. During the festival, the town crowns a Raisin Queen, who represents the town in the following year.
The Selma community often gathers around the bandstand at Lincoln Park.
Berry Park features a skatepark where Selma residents can practice skate and bike tricks.
Enjoy a game of pickleball with friends at Brentlinger Park in Selma.
1/3
Local businesses downtown and national retailers near the highway
Downtown Selma, in the center of town, features the sun-faded storefronts of locally owned boutiques, vintage markets, furniture stores and coffee shops. Locally owned restaurants are also found throughout Selma; many are fast-casual Chinese and Mexican spots. National chains, big-box stores and car dealerships are concentrated on the west side, around the Highway 99 interchange.
Plays and musicals are performed at the Selma Arts Center; the Cool Kids Players Youth Performing Arts Program allows children and young adults ages 6 to 18 to participate in productions. Selma 6 Cinemas has luxury recliners and screens new film releases. Selma is home to an array of Christian churches, as well as the Sikh Center of the Pacific Coast.
Rosa Linda's Mexican Cuisine is a local favorite for Mexican food in Selma.
Stop by Roscoe’s Dogs for a hot dog on a sunny day in Selma.
The Selma Arts Center hosts plays and musicals throughout the year.
First Christian Church is one of several places of worship located in Selma.
1/4
Taking Highway 99 into Fresno
Selma is set along Highway 99, which leads 16 miles northwest to Fresno. There are only two on-ramps for Highway 99, so traffic can become congested during rush hours. Fresno County Rural Transit Agency has routes that lead to Fresno and surrounding small towns like Kingsburg. Train tracks bisect the community, often used for agricultural shipments, and passing trains can be heard throughout the day.
Adventist Health Selma is the only major hospital in Selma, found on the town’s east side. A few miles outside of town, Selma Airport is mostly used for small aircraft and private flights, while the larger Fresno Yosemite International Airport is 22 miles away, with flights to 14 destinations in the United States and Canada.
Local kids attend Selma Unified School District
The Selma Unified School District includes12 schools, serves about 6,000 students and earns an overall B-minus from Niche. Students at Eric White Elementary can enroll in a Dual Immersion Program for bilingual education in English and Spanish. “People like to raise their kids in Selma because it’s a small town where people look out for each other,” says Katie Gonzalez, a lifelong resident of the Central Valley and Realtor with Rise Real Estate. Schools may delay or cancel bus service on foggy days when visibility is especially low.
Eric White Elementary School serves grades 2-6 in Selma.
Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School serves grades K-6 in Selma.
Abraham Lincoln Middle School serves grades 7-8 in Selma.
Selma High School serves grades 9-12 in Selma.
1/4
Low crime rates according to the Selma Police Department
According to FBI data from December 2023, the Selma Police Department reported a property crime rate of 140 incidents per 100,000 residents, significantly lower than the statewide rate of 196 and the national rate of 180. During the same period, the department reported a violent crime rate of 70 incidents per 100,000 residents, lower than the statewide rate of 99 and the national rate of 121.
Foggy winters and hot summers
Selma is located in the San Joaquin Valley, where winters bring a few inches of monthly rainfall, thick fog and mild temperatures, while temperatures regularly top 100 degrees in the dry summers. Selma isn’t within any Fire Hazard Severity Zones, according to the California State Fire Marshall, and there is no history of wildfires in the area. Still, homes can be at low to moderate risk of fire, and the Selma Fire Department serves the community. Fires in outlying regions have led to high levels of smoke and air pollution in the San Joaquin Valley, which is then contained by surrounding mountain ranges. This also affects Selma residents, though air quality here is slightly better than in Fresno, where there's more airborne debris from industrial and residential development.
Selma can experience dust pollution from agricultural activity during summer months.
Winter months can bring thick fog from surrounding farmland into Selma.
Craig has made the Central Valley his home all his life. Professionally he started in lending in 1993 and opened his own company in 1997. The name was changed to Valley Wide Homes in 2000. In early 2023 his real estate company became ERA Valley Wide Homes. ERA Valley Wide Homes has Real Estate, Mortgage and Property Management Divisions to help clients find the right loan to help with the purchase of their next Investment Property, Second Home or Primary Residence.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
