The Town FilesSelma, Oregon
Community in Josephine County · population 661 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $231,500
- Household income
- $43,372
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 7 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 32.8
Selma is a community of 661 people in Josephine County, Oregon. The median home is worth $231,500, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks better for families than 94% of Oregon towns, quieter than 91% of Oregon towns, better for first-time buyers than 76% of Oregon towns.
How Selma ranks
Percentile among Oregon towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Oregon towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Selma is worth $231,500, below the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 5.3 times the median household income of $43,372, which is more affordable than 46% of Oregon towns. 97.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Selma | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $231,500 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | — | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $43,372 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.3× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 97.7% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 1963 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 9.8% | — |
Who lives in Selma
| People | Selma | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.8 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.5% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 36.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.1% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.8% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 16.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 21.2 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 100.0% | 92.4% |
Weather in Selma
July highs average 94.2°F and January lows 32.5°F. About 61.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 7.1 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 73 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 75 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Selma since 1950.
Severe weather in Josephine County since 1996
Josephine County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 14, 2026 | Fire | FM-5670: Fielder Mountain Fire |
| July 22, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4881: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 15, 2020 | Fire | DR-4562: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| September 10, 2020 | Fire | FM-5369: Slater Fire |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4499: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Josephine County
Josephine County had 31,420 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,117 a year. Unemployment was 5.1% in 2023; in Selma itself the ACS puts it at 3.4%.
Towns near Selma
- Kerby, OR5.7 mi · 628 people · home $241,000
- Cave Junction, OR8.0 mi · 2,071 people · home $292,900
- New Hope, OR14.5 mi · 1,572 people · home $437,900
- Redwood, OR15.0 mi · 2,702 people · home $397,800
- Williams, OR17.0 mi · 1,102 people · home $592,000
- Grants Pass, OR17.9 mi · 39,189 people · home $382,600
- Merlin, OR19.0 mi · 1,690 people · home $435,000
- Rogue River, OR25.2 mi · 2,407 people · home $310,200
Selma questions
Is Selma, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Selma scores better for retirees than 65% of Oregon towns and quieter than 91%. 13.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.8).
How much does a house cost in Selma?
The median owner-occupied home in Selma is valued at $231,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $43,372, so homes cost about 5.3 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Selma?
July highs average 94.2°F and January lows 32.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 61.2 inches of precipitation a year and 7.1 inches of snow.
Does Selma get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Selma in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)