San Antonio vs Selma

Which is the better fit for you?

San Antonio, TX
57
Area Score
Bottom 46% nationally
Selma, TX
61
Area Score
Top 43% nationally

Want a third or fourth place beside these? Open them in the shortlist and add more.

Selma receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.

If you are moving

What the difference in prices, rent, homes and weather comes to, using the published figures for the two places. Add your income to see what it would take to keep pace.

Moving from San Antonio to Selma

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Everyday prices
About the same
Regional price level 94.3 against 94.3 (US = 100). Both places sit in the same price region, so the index cannot tell them apart.
Income to keep the same purchasing power
Enter your household income to see it.
A new two-bedroom lease
+$45 a month
HUD benchmarks it at $1,820 in Selma against $1,775 in San Antonio.
The median home
33% more
$313,900 in Selma against $235,700 in San Antonio.
The weather you would swap
Similar winters
Normal January lows are 41°F in Selma against 41°F in San Antonio; July highs are 96°F against 95°F (summers 1°F hotter).

These are differences between published figures, not a forecast of your budget. Income and sales taxes, commuting, schools, insurance and the job you would actually get are not in them, and a price index describes a metropolitan area, so two places in one metro read the same. HUD’s rent is a benchmark for a new lease, not a listing.

Signals

San Antonio
Selma
Opportunity: Selma is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
56 · Bottom 49%
vs
62 · Top 37%
Growth: San Antonio is the more favorable of the two.
Growth
52 · Top 46%
vs
37 · Bottom 25%
Climate: San Antonio is the more favorable of the two.
Climate
73 · Top 37%
vs
72 · Top 42%
Physical resilience: Selma is the more favorable of the two.
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 37%
vs
55 · Bottom 48%
Housing affordability: Selma is the more favorable of the two.
Housing affordability
69 · Top 44%
vs
80 · Top 13%
Schools: San Antonio is the more favorable of the two.
Schools
44 · Bottom 43%
vs
43 · Bottom 41%
Access: Selma is the more favorable of the two.
Access
97 · Top 31%
vs
98 · Top 21%
Economic stability: Selma is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
41 · Bottom 22%
vs
66 · Top 32%

Measured values

MetricSan AntonioSelmaSource period
Population1,479,83511,5032024 ACS 5-Year
Median household income$65,056$97,066 — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Per capita income$33,929$44,339 — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Population density2,966/sq mi2,296/sq mi2024 ACS 5-Year
Median home value$235,700$313,9002024 ACS 5-Year
Median gross rent$1,324 — more favorable$1,7742024 ACS 5-Year
Market rent, two bedroom$1,775 — more favorable$1,820FY2026
Cost of living index94.394.32023
Homeownership rate52.2%64.0%2024 ACS 5-Year
Unemployment rate4.6% — more favorable4.7%July 2026
Employment change (year over year)−0.4%−0.4%July 2026
Bachelor's degree or higher29.0%36.6% — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Poverty rate16.5%6.3% — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Housing units permitted (12 months)4,295912 months ending July 2026
Permits per 1,000 residents2.9 — more favorable0.812 months ending July 2026
Permit change (year over year)−28.1%−43.8%12 months ending July 2026
Average July high95°F96°F1991-2020 Normals
Average January low41°F41°F1991-2020 Normals
Distance to major airport6 mi — more favorable10 miNASR current cycle
Average commute26.3 min — more favorable30.6 min2024 ACS 5-Year
Median age34.934.92024 ACS 5-Year
Students per teacher15.4 — more favorable15.52024-25 school year
Math proficiency46.9% — more favorable46.7%2018-19 school year
Reading proficiency45.6%45.7% — more favorable2018-19 school year

A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.

The number of units permitted is not marked because the larger place always permits more; the per-resident rate is the fair comparison. The year-over-year change is not marked either: a percentage on fewer than 300 units swings on a handful of permits.

Physical risk tradeoff

San Antonio

Elevated or high exposure: hail.

Selma

Elevated or high exposure: hail.

Your best match

Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.

San Antonio
—
San Antonio: Your Score
57
Area Score
Selma
—
Selma: Your Score
61
Area Score

Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.

Full profiles: San Antonio, TX · Selma, TX · How this is calculated: methodology