In Selma, a typical home is worth $96,500 and typical rent is $713 a month. Compared with all of Dallas County, typical household income is 7% lower and the share of households that own their home is 18 points lower.
Typical home value from Zillow, September 2021 to September 2026: from $79,458 to $73,372.
From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).
Selma is in Dallas County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Dallas County. See the county
What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.
1
Selma has the 2nd lowest typical household income of the 120 cities in Alabama with more than 5,000 people ($33,197).
2
Selma has the 3rd lowest typical home value of the 120 cities in Alabama with more than 5,000 people ($96,500).
3
Selma has the 3rd largest share of rent-burdened renters of the 101 cities in Alabama with more than 5,000 people (65%).
4
46% of households in Selma own their home, against 64% in Dallas County.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).
The homes here
Housing in Selma
What homes there are in Selma, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).
What homes there are
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
Kind of home
Detached houseAttached houseBuilding of 2 to 4Apartments (5 or more)Mobile homeBoat, RV and otherUnreliable estimate
Selma
Dallas County
Alabama
United States
Kind of home: Selma and its comparisons
Measure
Selma
Dallas County
Alabama
United States
Detached house
63%
59%
69%
61%
Attached house
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
2%
6%
Building of 2 to 4
25%
16%
5%
8%
Apartments (5 or more)
11%
6%
12%
19%
Mobile home
Unreliable estimate
18%
12%
6%
Boat, RV and other
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
0%
0%
In Selma, 6 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses; in Dallas County, 6.
Year built
Before 19601960–19791980–19992000–20092010 or laterUnreliable estimate
Selma
Dallas County
Alabama
United States
Year built: Selma and its comparisons
Measure
Selma
Dallas County
Alabama
United States
Before 1960
32%
23%
16%
26%
1960–1979
38%
33%
26%
24%
1980–1999
19%
28%
29%
25%
2000–2009
8%
11%
15%
14%
2010 or later
Unreliable estimate
6%
13%
11%
The typical home in Selma was built in 1971, 6 years before the typical one in Dallas County.
What it costs here
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
Value of owner-occupied homes
Unreliable estimate
Under $100K52%
$100K–$200K36%
$200K–$300K7%
$300K–$500KUnreliable
$500K–$750KUnreliable
$750K–$1MUnreliable
$1M or moreUnreliable
Value of owner-occupied homes: Selma and its comparisons
Measure
Selma
Under $100K
52%
$100K–$200K
36%
$200K–$300K
7%
$300K–$500K
Unreliable estimate
$500K–$750K
Unreliable
$750K–$1M
Unreliable estimate
$1M or more
Unreliable
Monthly rent with utilities
Under the limitOver the limitUnreliable estimate
Under $50018%
$500–$99960%
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms: $945
$1,000–$1,49920%
$1,500–$1,999Unreliable
$2,000–$2,499Unreliable
$2,500–$2,999Unreliable
$3,000 or moreUnreliable
Monthly rent with utilities: Selma and its comparisons
Measure
Selma
Under $500
18%
$500–$999
60%
$1,000–$1,499
20%
$1,500–$1,999
Unreliable estimate
$2,000–$2,499
Unreliable
$2,500–$2,999
Unreliable estimate
$3,000 or more
Unreliable
By rent, most homes in Selma cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent ($945): about 72%.
With a mortgage
$1,106 a month
Dallas County: $1,136 a month
Without a mortgage
$411 a month
Dallas County: $404 a month
Owners with a mortgage
31%
Dallas County: 30%
In Selma, 31% of owners have a mortgage; their typical cost is $1,106 a month, about the same as in Dallas County.
How it changed
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024
Change since 2015–2019
Typical home value
SelmaNo clear change
Dallas County+14%
Alabama+47%
United States+53%
Typical rent
Selma+17%
Dallas County+14%
Alabama+27%
United States+33%
Typical household income
SelmaNo clear change
Dallas CountyNo clear change
Alabama+27%
United States+29%
Change since 2015–2019: Selma and its comparisons
Measure
Selma
Dallas County
Alabama
United States
Typical home value
No clear change
+14%
+47%
+53%
Typical rent
+17%
+14%
+27%
+33%
Typical household income
No clear change
No clear change
+27%
+29%
Since 2015–2019, home values in Selma moved so little that the Census cannot say whether they rose or fell.
Much as in Dallas County, the typical rent in Selma rose 17% since 2015–2019.
How people live
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
How people live: Selma and its comparisons
Measure
Selma
Dallas County
Alabama
United States
Rental vacancy
Unreliable estimate
6.7%
7.2%
5.5%
Homeowner vacancy
Unreliable estimate
1.5%
1.1%
0.9%
More than one person per room
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
1.7%
3.4%
People per household
2.09
2.28
2.48
2.53
Drive alone
79%
82%
81%
69%
Carpool
11%
10%
8%
9%
Public transit
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
0%
3%
Walk or bike
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
1%
3%
Work from home
7%
6%
9%
15%
Other means
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
1%
2%
Typical commute
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
20 to 29 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
Fewer people live in each home here: 2.09 on average, against 2.28 in Dallas County.
To get to work, 79% of workers in Selma drive alone; in Dallas County, 82%.
Do the math
What would you pay each month for a home in Selma?
A typical home is within reach of the typical income
We start with a typical home in Selma, worth $96,500, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 28% of the typical household income in Selma, which is $33,197 a year.
The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Dallas County.
Change the price, the down payment or the loan: the payment updates right away.
Your numbers
Local data
$
Starts at the typical home value in Selma. Change it to the price you have in mind.
Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.
Down payment
%
That is $3,378 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.
This week's average ± a quarter or half point.
National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.
Adjust advanced details⌄
Estimated monthly payment
Local data
$762
at 7.18% · 30 years
Loan amount
$94,752
Total interest
$136,325
Paid off in
November 2056
Includes $1,630 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.
Does it fit the income?
Comfortable
up to $775 a month
Your payment · 28%
Tight
$775 to $996 a month
Hard
more than $996 a month
Compared with the typical household income in Selma ($33,197 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.
Monthly payment breakdown
Principal & interest
$642
Property tax
$37
Home insurance
$40
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)
$43
You need at least $3,378 for the down payment, plus closing costs.
This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.
Total monthly payment $762; principal and interest $642.
The city and its county
Selma and Dallas County
Selma is in Dallas County, Alabama. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).
Selma
Map of Dallas County, Alabama, with Selma marked. Around it, the neighboring counties.
Selma
Dallas County
Other cities with a page
Selma's own numbers
Typical home value
$96,500
Typical monthly rent
$713
Typical yearly household income
$33,197
Households that own their home
46%
Effective property tax rate
0.46%
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).
Numbers for all of Dallas County
FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$945
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+29%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
14%
HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.
Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Dallas County.
A typical home in Selma is worth $96,500: 2% above the county and 54% below Alabama. With the typical household income in Selma ($33,197 a year), a typical home costs 2.9 times what the household earns in a year.
Years of income to pay for a typical home
The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.
Selma2.9 years
Dallas2.7 years
Alabama3.3 years
United States4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024
How prices have changed in Dallas County
According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Dallas County rose 29% in the 10 years through 2025.
FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Dallas County.
Yearly change in FHFA’s price index in Dallas County, 2016 to 2025
2016: −0.8% −0.8% 2016
2017: −5.5% −5.5% 2017
2018: −0.9% −0.9% 2018
2019: +1.8% +1.8% 2019
2020: +5.5% +5.5% 2020
2021: +6.7% +6.7% 2021
2022: +7.5% +7.5% 2022
2023: +13.8% +13.8% 2023
2024: −1.4% −1.4% 2024
2025: +0.4% +0.4% 2025
Change in FHFA’s price index in Dallas County, Alabama and the United States
Period
County
Alabama
U.S.
Last year (2025)
+0.4%
+2.5%
+2.9%
5 years (2020–2025)
+29%
+47%
+47%
10 years (2015–2025)
+29%
+77%
+85%
The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data
Selma next to Dallas County, Alabama and the U.S.
Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.
Typical home value
Selma$96,500
Dallas$94,600
Alabama$209,900
United States$332,700
Typical monthly rent
Selma$713
Dallas$733
Alabama$1,007
United States$1,413
Typical yearly household income
Selma$33,197
Dallas$35,627
Alabama$63,999
United States$80,734
See the full table
Selma next to Dallas County and Alabama
Measure
Selma
Dallas County
Alabama
U.S.
Typical home value
$96,500 ▲2% above the county
$94,600
$209,900
$332,700
Typical monthly rent
$713 ▼3% below the county
$733
$1,007
$1,413
Typical yearly household income
$33,197 ▼7% below the county
$35,627
$63,999
$80,734
Households that own their home
46% ▼18 points below the county
64%
70%
65%
Typical yearly property tax
$445 ▲14% above the county
$392
$788
$3,119
Effective property tax rate
0.46% ▲0.05 points above the county
0.41%
0.38%
0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income
65% ▲3 points above the county
62%
49%
51%
“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Dallas County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.
Four ways to pay for a typical home in Selma
For a typical $96,500 home in Selma, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Selma's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.
FHA, 3.5% down$762a month
Least cash to close
Down payment
$3,378
Cash to close
$6,273
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
FHA MIP · $43
Conventional, 5% down$744a month
Down payment
$4,825
Cash to close
$7,720
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
PMI · $46
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI$600a month
Down payment
$19,300
Cash to close
$22,195
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
ITIN, 15% down (example)$689a month
Down payment
$14,475
Cash to close
$17,370
Rate
8.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
Four ways to pay for a typical home in Selma
Loan
Monthly payment
Down payment
Loan amount
Rate
Mortgage insurance
Cash to close
Minimum score
FHA, 3.5% down Least cash to close
$762
$3,378
$94,752
7.18%
FHA MIP · $43
$6,273
580
Conventional, 5% down
$744
$4,825
$91,675
7.18%
PMI · $46
$7,720
620*
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI
$600
$19,300
$77,200
7.18%
None
$22,195
620*
ITIN, 15% down (example)
$689
$14,475
$82,025
8.18%
None
$17,370
Set by the lender
The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.
Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.
Typical rent in Selma is $713 a month: 3% below the county. In Selma, 65% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.
HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Dallas County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($945 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $18.17 an hour working full time.
What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.
HUD fair market rent in Dallas County (Fiscal year 2027)
Size
Fair rent a month
Hourly wage
Yearly income
Studio
$718
$13.81
$28,720
1 bedroom
$722
$13.88
$28,880
2 bedrooms
$945
$18.17
$37,800
3 bedrooms
$1,301
$25.02
$52,040
4 bedrooms
$1,306
$25.12
$52,240
Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027
By ZIP code
Fair market rent by ZIP code in Selma
HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Selma has 2 ZIP codes with their own.
For 2 bedrooms it runs from $920 in 36703 to $980 in 36701.
1 of the 2 is above the fair market rent for Dallas County ($945).
Fair market rent by ZIP code and size in Selma, fiscal year 2027.
36701
$750
$750
$980
$1,350
$1,360
36703
$700
$710
$920
$1,270
$1,290
ZIP code2 bd3 bd
36701 $980$1,350
36703 $920$1,270
2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Selma when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD)Fiscal year 2027Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site)Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship fileData from 2020 dataCensus Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (external site)
HUD lists 22 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Selma. These are the largest.
George Washington CarverSelma 36701216 low-income homes · Run by Selma Housing Authority · Average payment: $286 a month · Average wait: 16 months(334) 874-6271
Felix Heights405 Medical Center Pkwy, Selma 36701127 low-income homes · Run by Selma Housing Authority · Average payment: $319 a month · Average wait: 19 months(334) 874-6271
Rangedale52A Rangedale Apts, Selma 36703126 low-income homes · Run by Selma Housing Authority · Average payment: $356 a month · Average wait: 20 months(334) 874-6271
Addison Way1300 Cloverdale Rd, Selma 36703120 low-income homes · 2 bd: 102 · 3 bd: 18 · In service since 2008 · For families
Valley Creek Homes301A Valley Creek Homes, Selma 36701100 low-income homes · Run by Selma Housing Authority · Average payment: $260 a month · Average wait: 22 months(334) 874-6271
You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.
We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Dallas County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.
No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Selma or Dallas County. The ones below are statewide in Alabama: they work in Selma the same as in the rest of the state.
Alabama state authority program with down payment assistance of 4% of the price (up to $10,000) as a 10-year second mortgage, alongside a 30-year fixed mortgage.Offered by Alabama Housing Finance Authority (AHFA).
Alabama state authority 30-year low-rate mortgage, for first-time buyers and for people who have owned a home before, with down payment assistance of 4% of the price, up to $10,000, as a ten-year second mortgage.Offered by Alabama Housing Finance Authority (AHFA).
Alabama state authority grant for closing costs with an HFA Advantage conventional loan: 1% of the loan if you earn up to 50% of the area median, or half a percent if you earn 50% to 80%.Offered by Alabama Housing Finance Authority (AHFA).
No legal help resource on our list is for Selma or Dallas County in particular.
If you have a problem with your landlord, an eviction notice or a scam, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) search shows the free legal aid offices that serve your area.
Short answers with the numbers for Selma and all of Dallas County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.
How much does a typical home cost in Selma?
The typical home value in Selma is $96,500, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Dallas County it is $94,600.
How much does it cost to rent in Selma?
Typical rent in Selma is $713 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Dallas County is $945.
What is the FHA loan limit in Selma?
Selma uses the FHA limit for all of Dallas County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.
How much property tax do owners pay in Selma?
The typical homeowner in Selma pays $445 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.46% of the home’s value; in Dallas County, the rate is 0.41%.
Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Selma?
We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Dallas County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.
