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City · 8,437 residents · Yakima County, Washington

Selah , Washington

In Selah, a typical home is worth $414,600 and typical rent is $1,539 a month. Compared with all of Yakima County, typical rent is 39% higher and the typical home value is 34% higher.

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  • Typical home value

    $414,600

    34% above the county

    27% below Washington

    • Selah
    • Yakima
    • Washington

  • Typical rent

    $1,539a month

    39% above the county

    13% below Washington

    • Selah
    • Yakima
    • Washington

  • Typical household income

    $74,783a year

    6% above the county

    24% below Washington

    • Selah
    • Yakima
    • Washington

  • Households that own their home

    59%

    2 points below the county

    4 points below Washington

    • Selah
    • Yakima
    • Washington

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$434,959
about the same as 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,652 a month
5.8% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Selah is in Yakima 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 Yakima County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Selah apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Nearby, in Union Gap, the typical home value is $210,600: 49% less than in Selah ($414,600).

  2. Nearby, in Toppenish, the typical rent is $985: 36% less than in Selah ($1,539).

  3. The typical rent in Selah is $1,539 a month, 39% more than in Yakima County as a whole ($1,109).

  4. The typical home in Selah is worth $414,600, 34% more than in Yakima County as a whole ($310,100).

  5. Selah has the 14th smallest share of rent-burdened renters of the 172 cities in Washington with more than 5,000 people (39%).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Selah

What homes there are in Selah, 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

The detached house is the most common home in Selah: 68% of homes, near the figure in Yakima County (66%).

Year built

The typical home in Selah was built in 1990, 13 years after the typical one in Yakima County.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,933 a month

Yakima County: $1,706 a month

Without a mortgage

$522 a month

Yakima County: $552 a month

Owners with a mortgage

77%

Yakima County: 57%

In Selah, 77% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $1,933 a month, against $1,706 in Yakima County. Without one it drops to $522.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Selah rose 84%; in Yakima County, it rose 76%.

Since 2015–2019, the typical rent in Selah rose 50%, more than in Yakima County (34%).

Housing prices ran ahead of income in Selah: typical income rose 29%, against +84% for home values and +50% for rent.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureSelahYakima CountyWashingtonUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate2.4%4.5%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.7%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate7.3%3.5%3.4%
People per household 2.502.892.502.53
Drive alone 89%79%63%69%
Carpool Unreliable estimate11%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate0%3%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate1%4%3%
Work from home Unreliable estimate7%20%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Households in Selah are smaller: 2.50 people on average; in Yakima County, 2.89.

To get to work, 89% of workers in Selah drive alone; in Yakima County, 79%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Selah?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Selah, worth $414,600, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 54% of the typical household income in Selah, which is $74,783 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $143,522 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Yakima County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Selah. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $14,511 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$3,349

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$407,091
Total interest
$585,708
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $7,002 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,745 a month

  • Tight

    $1,745 to $2,243 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,243 a month

    Your payment · 54%

Compared with the typical household income in Selah ($74,783 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$3,349
Principal & interest$2,758
Property tax$235
Home insurance$173
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$183

You need at least $14,511 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

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.

The city and its county

Selah and Yakima County

Selah is in Yakima County, Washington. 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).

Selah's own numbers

Typical home value
$414,600
Typical monthly rent
$1,539
Typical yearly household income
$74,783
Households that own their home
59%
Effective property tax rate
0.68%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Yakima County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,313
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+45%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
5%

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 Yakima County.

Everything about Yakima County

Buying

Buying a home in Selah

A typical home in Selah is worth $414,600: 34% above the county and 27% below Washington. With the typical household income in Selah ($74,783 a year), a typical home costs 5.5 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.

  • Selah 5.5 years
  • Yakima 4.4 years
  • Washington 5.8 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Yakima County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Yakima County rose 105% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Yakima County.

Period County Washington U.S.
Last year (2025) +3.6% +1.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +45% +44% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +105% +113% +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

Selah next to Yakima County, Washington and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Selah $414,600
  • Yakima $310,100
  • Washington $564,600
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Selah $1,539
  • Yakima $1,109
  • Washington $1,760
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Selah $74,783
  • Yakima $70,656
  • Washington $98,141
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Selah next to Yakima County and Washington
Measure Selah Yakima County Washington U.S.
Typical home value $414,600 $310,100 $564,600 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,539 $1,109 $1,760 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $74,783 $70,656 $98,141 $80,734
Households that own their home 59% 62% 64% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $2,815 $2,463 $4,556 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.68% 0.79% 0.81% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 39% 44% 50% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Yakima 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 Selah

For a typical $414,600 home in Selah, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Selah's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $3,349a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $14,511
    Cash to close
    $26,949
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $183

  • Conventional, 5% down $3,273a month

    Down payment
    $20,730
    Cash to close
    $33,168
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $197

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $2,655a month

    Down payment
    $82,920
    Cash to close
    $95,358
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $3,038a month

    Down payment
    $62,190
    Cash to close
    $74,628
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

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.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Selah and for Yakima County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Selah

0.68%of the home’s value each year

$2,815 a year for the typical owner in Selah.

  • Selah 0.68%
  • Yakima 0.79%
  • Washington 0.81%

What Washington publishes Exemption for people 61 and older or with disabilities (Washington State Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Washington

Flood risk in Yakima County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Yakima County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
5%
4,105
Of those, with NFIP insurance
16%
County Washington U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 5% 1.6% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 16% 40% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Selah

Typical rent in Selah is $1,539 a month: 39% above the county. In Selah, 39% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Yakima County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,313 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $25.25 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Yakima County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $997 $19.17 $39,880
1 bedroom $1,004 $19.31 $40,160
2 bedrooms $1,313 $25.25 $52,520
3 bedrooms $1,818 $34.96 $72,720
4 bedrooms $2,049 $39.40 $81,960

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 Selah

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Selah is in ZIP code 98942.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,590: $277 more than the fair market rent for Yakima County ($1,313).

  • 98942 $1,590$2,200

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Selah 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 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Selah

HUD lists one building with rents for lower incomes in Selah.

  • Selah Square Apts 303 N Wenas Rd, Selah 98942 40 low-income homes · For families (509) 955-8500

See all 87 buildings in Yakima County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Selah

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.

There are 2 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Yakima County; 2 say they serve in Spanish.

Two women and a girl laugh together at the bus stop.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Selah

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Selah or Yakima County. The ones below are statewide in Washington: they work in Selah the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Washington

  • Home Advantage Downpayment Assistance

    Statewide in Washington

    Washington state commission 0% second mortgage for 3%, 4% or 5% of the first mortgage, with no monthly payments; you do not need to be a first-time buyer. Offered by Washington State Housing Finance Commission.

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • Covenant Homeownership Program

    Statewide in Washington

    Washington state commission loan with no monthly payments of up to 20% of the price (maximum $150,000) plus closing costs, for first-time buyers whose family lived in Washington before 1968 and belonged to a group affected by housing discrimination, including Hispanic people. Offered by Washington State Housing Finance Commission.

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • House Key Opportunity DPA

    Statewide in Washington

    Washington state commission loan of up to $15,000 at 1% simple interest, with no monthly payments, for the down payment and closing costs of first-time buyers with the House Key Opportunity mortgage. Offered by Washington State Housing Finance Commission.

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Selah

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Selah, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Oic of Washington

    815 Fruitvale Blvd, Yakima · 2 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in Arabic, American Sign Language (ASL), Cambodian, Cantonese, and 18 more languages.

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 2 more
    (509) 765-9206

  • Catholic Charities Housing Services

    5301 Tieton Dr, Yakima · 4 miles away · Spanish

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 4 more
    (509) 759-7924

  • Tacoma/ Pierce County Habitat for Humanity

    4824 S Tacoma Way, Tacoma · 100 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 4 more
    253-627-5626x120

Every agency in Yakima County All counseling agencies in Washington

Help in Spanish near Selah

2 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Selah

In HUD’s record, no housing authority with an office in Yakima County is named for Selah or Yakima County.

2 other authorities have an office in Yakima County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Yakima County

These cities are also in Yakima County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Yakima County Housing in Washington

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Selah, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Yakima County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Selah.

All guides
A man and two girls read a book together on the sofa.

Questions

Housing questions about Selah

Short answers with the numbers for Selah and all of Yakima 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 Selah?

The typical home value in Selah is $414,600, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Yakima County it is $310,100.

How much does it cost to rent in Selah?

Typical rent in Selah is $1,539 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Yakima County is $1,313.

What is the FHA loan limit in Selah?

Selah uses the FHA limit for all of Yakima 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 Selah?

The typical homeowner in Selah pays $2,815 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.68% of the home’s value; in Yakima County, the rate is 0.79%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Selah?

There are 2 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Yakima County. 2 say they serve in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).