Ideal CityOpen the map

Clayton vs Selma

Clayton, North Carolina versus Selma, North Carolina: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Clayton

Mixed · objective livability43/100

Selma

Mixed · objective livability44/100

Clayton and Selma score about the same overall (43 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorClaytonSelma
Affordability
Median Household Income$72k$29k
Cost of Living$54k$54k
Home Value$260k$136k
Monthly Rent$1k$793
Monthly Owner Costs$6k$1k
Property Tax Rate0.97%1.00%
Income Tax4.50%4.50%
Sales Tax7.00%7.00%
Estimated total tax burden10.33%11.44%
Unemployment1.8%4.8%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)42°F43°F
Summer Temp (Jul)81°F81°F
Annual Precipitation52.1 in49.4 in
Annual Snowfall3.2 in0.8 in
Sunny Days194 days228 days
Summer Humidity69°F71°F
Comfortable Days79 days80 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk48.846.8
Air Quality47 AQI47 AQI
School Quality31.831.8
Violent Crime673/100k1067/100k
Property Crime1232/100k1622/100k
Community
Population26,8376,449
Median Age32.633.6
Racial Diversity0.520.62
Male/Female Ratio0.970.71
Political LeaningR+25R+25
White (%)58.0%27.2%
Black (%)23.5%44.5%
Hispanic (%)13.8%24.5%
Asian (%)0.8%0.0%
Other / Multiracial (%)3.8%3.8%
Getting Around
Commute Time32 min30 min
Walkability6.6/207.5/20
Airport Distance24 mi36 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access86.2%66.5%
Amenities Nearby33.54145.76
Park & Nature AccessModerateGood

Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.

Frequently asked questions

Is Clayton or Selma more affordable?
Selma has the lower cost of living: its index is $54k, compared with Clayton's $54k and Selma's $54k. Median rent is $1k in Clayton versus $793 in Selma.
Is Clayton or Selma safer?
Clayton has the lower violent crime rate. Clayton reports 673/100k and Selma reports 1067/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Clayton or Selma?
The median home value is $260k in Clayton and $136k in Selma, so homes are more affordable in Selma.
See each on the map

Explore ClaytonExplore Selma

Full profiles