Selma, NC Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Selma, NC Summary

Cost of living in Selma research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Selma is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in North Carolina, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Selma is 86, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Selma is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Selma ranks as the #13 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.

  • Selma ranks as the #639 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Selma is $269,140.

  • The median income in Selma is $37,440.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
86
Selma's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Selma, NC?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Selma has an overall cost of living index of 86, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to North Carolina, Selma has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than North Carolina's index of 92.

The standard of living in Selma ranks as #13 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Selma ranks as the #144 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.

For more reading on life in Selma, check out:

13 out of 157
In North Carolina
639 out of 6,489
In America

Selma Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Selma. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Selma is 97.

  • The Groceries index in Selma is 96.

  • The Health index in Selma is 114.

  • The Housing index in Selma is 65.

  • The Transportation index in Selma is 94.

  • The Utilities index in Selma is 96.

Living Expense Selma North Carolina National Average
Overall 86 92 100
Services 97 100 100
Groceries 96 99 100
Health 114 106 100
Housing 65 86 100
Transportation 94 93 100
Utilities 96 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
Selma Cost of Living Vs. NC

Selma, NC Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in North Carolina, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Selma is $269,140.

  • The Median Rent in Selma is $824.

  • The Median Income in Selma is $37,440.

  • The Home Value To Income in Selma is 7.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Selma is 0.26x.

Statistic Selma North Carolina United States
Median Home Value $269,140 $332,681 $303,400
Median Rent $824 $1,162 $1,348
Median Income $37,440 $69,904 $78,538
Home Value To Income 7.2x 4.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.26x 0.2x 0.21x
$269,140
Median Home Value
$824
Median Rent
$37,440
Median Income

Selma, NC Costs By Category

Detailed Selma Services Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Selma North Carolina
Shampoo $1.09 $1.28
Movie $10.27 $12.13
Bowling $11.0 $18
Haircut $19.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $29.58 $45.56

Detailed Selma Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Selma North Carolina
Ground Beef $5.93 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.59 $1.57
Milk $4.57 $4.67
Potatoes $5.18 $4.93
Pizza $10.47 $12.09
Beer $10.29 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.65 $3.7

Detailed Selma Health Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Selma North Carolina
Optometrist $141.56 $125.68
Doctor $136.38 $135.78
Dentist $100.17 $113.29

Detailed Selma Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Selma North Carolina
Gasoline $3.45 $3.46
Tire Balancing $63.55 $59.92

Detailed Selma Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Selma North Carolina
All Electricity $201.14 $193.99
Phone $187.32 $192.25

Selma SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
4/10
Housing
5
Affordability
3
Diversity
9.5
Safety
4
Amenities
8
Education
4
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Selma

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Selma. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Raleigh, NC has a cost of living index of 112, 1.3x Selma.

  • Cary, NC has a cost of living index of 125, 1.5x Selma.

  • Apex, NC has a cost of living index of 122, 1.4x Selma.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Selma
Raleigh, NC 470,763 112 1.3x
Cary, NC 176,686 125 1.5x
Apex, NC 67,765 122 1.4x
Chapel Hill, NC 59,889 129 1.5x
Wake Forest, NC 51,199 117 1.4x
Holly Springs, NC 43,429 125 1.5x
Fuquay-Varina, NC 37,749 114 1.3x
Garner, NC 32,543 106 1.2x
Morrisville, NC 30,471 120 1.4x
Clayton, NC 28,043 103 1.2x

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