Home / Home Buying by state / North Carolina / Johnston County / Selma

Buying a home in Selma, North Carolina

The typical owner-occupied home in Selma is worth about $171,600, 41% below the North Carolina median of $288,900 and 48% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,356 a year in property taxes, about 0.79% of their home's value, higher than the North Carolina rate of 0.66%. The median household earns $41,368 a year, so the median home costs 4.1 times the median income (4.0 times for North Carolina). 43% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 64% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Selma at a glance

Selma North Carolina U.S.
Median home value $171,600 $288,900 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,356 $1,896 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.79% 0.66% 0.94%
Median household income $41,368 $72,388 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 43% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 64% 61% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,393 $1,631 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 24.9% 19.4% 21.0%
Median rent $820 $1,228 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 34.5% 29.5% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1974 1991 1980
Vacant homes 9.7% 12.5% 10.1%
Population 6,817 10,730,404 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Selma

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Selma home of $171,600 with 20% down costs about $1,108 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,394, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $47,484 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 32% of the median Selma household income of $41,368; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $149,000.

The median rent here is $820 a month, so owning the median home costs about $288 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$34,320
Loan amount$137,280
Principal and interest$923
Property taxes (0.79% a year)$113
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$72
PMI$0
Total per month$1,108

Change the numbers in the calculator

3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$6,006
Loan amount$168,492
Principal and interest$1,133
Property taxes (0.79% a year)$113
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$72
FHA mortgage insurance$76
Total per month$1,394

Change the numbers in the calculator

Questions about home buying in Selma

What is the median home value in Selma?

About $171,600 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Selma?

Homeowners pay a median $1,356 a year, which is about 0.79% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Selma?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,108 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $47,484 a year.

More about Selma

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data