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Compare towns

Selma vs Chowchilla

51 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (10× in Chowchilla) and street grid (3.2× in Selma).

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Selma, CAHomes around $362KCalifornia · 24,659 people
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Chowchilla, CAHomes around $390KCalifornia · 19,020 people
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Report cards

Selma places higher on 11 of 22 CA lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $170 more a month in Chowchilla

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Selma$2,150/mo
Typical home $362K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.83% · or rent about $1,232/mo · Housing →
Chowchilla$2,320/mo
Typical home $390K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.84% · or rent about $1,178/mo · Housing →

The difference: $170 a month, about $2,000 a year, between Chowchilla and Selma.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
SelmaChowchilla
Snow a year0″0″
January low41°F38°F
July high98°F96°F
Growing season (days)337d281d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)47th53rd
Outdoors & history
SelmaChowchilla
Trails1 mi8 mi
Conserved land2%0.4%
Settled—1923
Archive photos19
Famous people born here142
Community
SelmaChowchilla
Library hours a week52 hrs26 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

51 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Selma ↔ Chowchilla51 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

SelmaChowchilla
People
Population 24,659Highest 19,020Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +6.3%Highest CA: +6.1% +1.7%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 32.9±1.9Lowest 13% below CA 34.2±1.8Highest 10% below CA
Chowchilla and Selma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 25%±3.1Highest CA: 22% 24.4%±3Lowest CA: 22%
Selma and Chowchilla are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 12.9%±1.6Highest CA: 15.7% 10%±1.6Lowest CA: 15.7%
Selma and Chowchilla are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 10%Lowest CA: 37.1% 15.6%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 8.1%±1.6Lowest CA: 7.6% 8.4%±1.9Highest CA: 7.6%
Chowchilla and Selma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $60,241±$6kLowest 39% below CA $66,514±$7kHighest 33% below CA
Chowchilla and Selma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $315,300±$20kLowest 57% below CA $364,000±$21kHighest 50% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,232±$110Highest 39% below CA $1,178±$70Lowest 42% below CA
Selma and Chowchilla are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,621Lowest 49% below CA $3,064Highest 40% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 46.9%±9.5Lowest CA: 55.3% 51.1%±8.2Highest CA: 55.3%
Chowchilla and Selma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 19%Lowest CA: 12% 19.6%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 60.4%Highest CA: 55.9% 57.3%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1983Lowest 7 yrs newer than CA 1992Highest 16 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minLowest 16% below CA 26 minHighest 10% below CA
Work from home 4.2%±1.8Lowest CA: 17.2% 8.3%±2.6Highest CA: 17.2%
Chowchilla and Selma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 12.1%Lowest 20.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.3 miLowest 26.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.69Lowest 1.00Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Fresno (25%)Fresno (9%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ChowchillaFew work in Selma
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2%Highest 0.4%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.8 miLowest 8.0 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.7 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 7Highest 4Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 114Highest 35.5Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #471 of 574 in CA#352 of 574 in CA
School district Selma UnifiedChowchilla Elementary · Chowchilla Union High
High school in town Selma HighChowchilla Union High
Students per teacherat that high school 19.5Lowest 21.1Highest
California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Selma neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Selma’s Town Square.

Chowchilla neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Living in Chowchilla

1 neighbor in Chowchilla can answer.

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Bordering Selma

Towns like Selma

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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