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Compare towns

Selma vs Wasco

69 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (6× in Wasco) and street grid (2.2× in Selma).

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Selma, CAHomes around $362KCalifornia · 24,659 people
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Wasco, CAHomes around $317KCalifornia · 26,558 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 differ most

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 12 of 21 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 $300 more a month in Selma

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 →
Wasco$1,850/mo
Typical home $317K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.73% · or rent about $1,089/mo · Housing →

The difference: $300 a month, about $3,500 a year, between Selma and Wasco.

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
SelmaWasco
Snow a year0″0″
January low41°F39°F
July high98°F100°F
Growing season (days)337d315d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)47th46th
Outdoors & history
SelmaWasco
Trails1 mi5 mi
Conserved land2%0.8%
Settled—1945
National Register places—1
Archive photos112
Famous people born here145
Community
SelmaWasco
Library hours a week52 hrs13 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

69 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Selma ↔ Wasco69 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.

SelmaWasco
People
Population 24,659Lowest 26,558Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +6.3%Highest CA: +6.1% +5.9%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 32.9±1.9Highest 13% below CA 30.6±1.1Lowest 19% below CA
Selma and Wasco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 25%±3.1Lowest CA: 22% 28.4%±2.7Highest CA: 22%
Wasco and Selma 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% 6.4%±1.3Lowest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 10%Highest CA: 37.1% 6.2%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 8.1%±1.6Highest CA: 7.6% 5.4%±1Lowest CA: 7.6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $60,241±$6kHighest 39% below CA $51,727±$9kLowest 48% below CA
Selma and Wasco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $315,300±$20kHighest 57% below CA $273,600±$12kLowest 63% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,232±$110Highest 39% below CA $1,089±$81Lowest 47% below CA
Selma and Wasco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,621Highest 49% below CA $1,989Lowest 61% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 46.9%±9.5Lowest CA: 55.3% 60.8%±11.1Highest CA: 55.3%
Wasco and Selma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 19%Highest CA: 12% 18.4%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 60.4%Highest CA: 55.9% 58.3%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1983 7 yrs newer than CA 1983 7 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minHighest 16% below CA 23 minLowest 19% below CA
Work from home 4.2%±1.8Highest CA: 17.2% 2.9%±1.9Lowest CA: 17.2%
Selma and Wasco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 12.1%Lowest 16.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.3 miLowest 22.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.69 0.69
Top workplaceoutside town Fresno (25%)Bakersfield (16%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in WascoFew work in Selma
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2%Highest 0.8%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.8 miLowest 4.8 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.5 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 7Highest 4Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 114Highest 52.8Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #471 of 574 in CA#470 of 574 in CA
School district Selma UnifiedWasco Union Elementary · Wasco Union High
High school in town Selma HighWasco High
Students per teacherat that high school 19.5Lowest 21.5Highest
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.

Wasco neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

What used to be there

1 neighbor in Wasco can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Selma and Wasco

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

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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