Selma and Madera receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Selma
Madera
Opportunity
34 · Bottom 10%
vs28 · Bottom 5%
Growth
15 · Bottom 5%
vs46 · Bottom 43%
Climate
70 · Bottom 46%
vs70 · Bottom 46%
Physical resilience
12 · Bottom 9%
vs4 · Bottom 1%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 22%
vs57 · Bottom 17%
Access
91 · Bottom 47%
vs86 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 30%
vs41 · Bottom 18%
Measured values
| Metric | Selma | Madera | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,659 | 67,831 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $60,241 | $63,933 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $22,940 | $24,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,150/sq mi | 3,442/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $315,300 | $359,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,232 | $1,353 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.4% | 54.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.7% | 7.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.0% | 10.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.0% | 25.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 123 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -100.0% | -7.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 98°F | 98°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 39°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.0" | 10.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.2 min | 27.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.9 | 30.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.42 | 19.86 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 91.9% | 88.1% | 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.
Madera
Elevated or high exposure: drought, wildfire, heat wave.
Full profiles: Selma, CA · Madera, CA · How this is calculated: methodology