Fresno receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Selma
Fresno
Opportunity
34 · Bottom 10%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Growth
15 · Bottom 5%
vs59 · Top 34%
Climate
70 · Bottom 46%
vs70 · Bottom 46%
Physical resilience
12 · Bottom 9%
vs12 · Bottom 8%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 22%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Access
91 · Bottom 47%
vs90 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 30%
vs48 · Bottom 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Selma | Fresno | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,659 | 545,970 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $60,241 | $70,991 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $22,940 | $32,519 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,150/sq mi | 4,710/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $315,300 | $374,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,232 | $1,421 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.4% | 50.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.7% | 6.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.0% | 25.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.0% | 20.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 1,573 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 2.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -100.0% | 69.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 98°F | 98°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.0" | 11.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.2 min | 23.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.9 | 32.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 180 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.42 | 20.61 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 91.9% | 78.5% | 2024-25 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Selma
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake.
Fresno
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake.
Full profiles: Selma, CA · Fresno, CA · How this is calculated: methodology