Selma, North Carolina
Selma is a town of 6,817 people in Johnston County, North Carolina, founded in February 11, 1873.
Why visit Selma
Townapedia lists 19 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails, 48 places to eat, 8 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Brooklyn Historic District and Downtown Selma Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 92°F; January lows average 31°F.
Weather in Selma
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Selma
Selma is a town in Johnston County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Selma had a population of 6,317. Selma is part of the Raleigh-Durham-Cary combined statistical area. The area has a population over 1.7 million residents, though the town of Selma is able to maintain its rural character.
From the Wikipedia article Selma, North Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Live at The Rudy Theatre
Cinema and theater · 0.6 mi
300 North Raiford Street, Selma
Museums and landmarks19
Brooklyn Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.9 mi
Historic district in North Carolina, United States
Downtown Selma Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic district in Selma, North Carolina
Downtown Smithfield Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Smithfield, North Carolina, listed on the NRHP in Johnston County, North Carolina
Everitt P. Stevens House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Historic plantation house located at Selma, Johnston County, North Carolina
Hood Brothers Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Historic building in North Carolina, US
Hood-Strickland House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.9 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Johnston County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
County courthouse in Smithfield, United States of America
Noah Edward Edgerton House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
North Smithfield Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Historic district in North Carolina, United States
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Nowell-Mayerburg-Oliver House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Richard B. Harrison School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
School building in Selma, North Carolina
Selma–Smithfield
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Train station in Selma, North Carolina
7 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Restaurants and cafes48
Robbins Nest
Diner · American · 1.5 mi
121 US Highway 70A East, Selma
Th-Sa 10:30-20:00; Su 11:00-15:00
Alondra's Restaurant
Restaurant · 0.5 mi
308 South Pollock Street, Selma
Fr, Sa 11:00-00:00; Su 11:00-23:00
Don Beto's Tacos
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.2 mi
720 Ricks Road, Selma
Su 11:00-21:00; Mo-Th 11:00-21:30; Fr, Sa 11:00-22:00
Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Q
Restaurant · 1.9 mi
1260 North Brightleaf Boulevard, Smithfield
Su-Th 10:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-23:00
The Peach Cobbler Factory - Smithfield NC
Restaurant · 1.9 mi
1258 North Brightleaf Boulevard, Smithfield
Su-Sa 12:00-22:00
Angelo's Pizza Restaurant
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.7 mi
1267 North Brightleaf Boulevard, Smithfield
Taqueria & Pupuseria, Fiorentine Cafe
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.5 mi
214 South Pollock Street, Selma
Pixie Dust Lunch Box and Bakery Shoppe
Bakery · 0.6 mi
107 North Webb Street, Selma
36 more on the map.
History
On May 1, 1867, lots were sold around a newly established station on the North Carolina Railroad. From those lots, the town was built and considered a railroad town for many decades. Selma was officially chartered as a town on February 11, 1873. The town recently renovated its 1924 passenger depot, which has Amtrak service. The town is also home to the Mitchener Station, which was built in 1855, and is thought to be the oldest surviving train station in North Carolina. After Interstate 95 was built in the late 1950s, the town experienced growth due to its location next to the interstate. Today, many hotels and restaurants are located in the area due to the traffic from I-95.
The Downtown Selma Historic District, Noah Edward Edgerton House, Richard B. Harrison School, Nowell-Mayerburg-Oliver House, William E. Smith House, Everitt P. Stevens House, Selma Union Depot, and West Selma Historic District are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
From the History section of Selma, North Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay8
La Quinta Inn & Suites Selma/Smithfield I-95
Motel and hotel · 1.5 mi
1696 Outlet Center Drive, Selma
Suburban Extended Stay Hotel Selma I-95
Motel and hotel · 1.4 mi
1780 Industrial Park Drive Building B, Selma
Churches and places of worship19
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Mormon · 2.2 mi
303 Canterbury Road, Smithfield
First Missionary Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 0.5 mi
500 South Pollock Street, Selma
Selma Emmanuel Holiness Church
Place of worship · 1.3 mi
1207 East Lizzie Street, Selma
Shopping20
Gas and EV charging10
Kangaroo Express
Gas station · 2.0 mi
1137 North Brightleaf Boulevard, Smithfield
Schools, colleges and libraries20
Johnston County Schools Career Technical
School · 3.4 mi
245 College Road, Smithfield
Healthcare6
A to Z Speech Therapy
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.9 mi
1660 East Booker Dairy Road, Smithfield
Coates Hearing Clinic, P.A.
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.8 mi
1652 East Booker Dairy Road, Smithfield
Horizon Family Medicine
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.3 mi
410 Canterbury Road, Smithfield
Map of Selma
154 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°F | 31°F | 3.5 in | 0.1 in |
| Feb | 57°F | 33°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Mar | 64°F | 39°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 74°F | 48°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 81°F | 57°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 88°F | 66°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 92°F | 71°F | 5.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 89°F | 69°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 84°F | 63°F | 5.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 74°F | 50°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 64°F | 39°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 57°F | 34°F | 3.2 in | 0.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Smithfield Hcn (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Johnston County has had 20 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-06: Tropical Storm Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2022-10-01: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
- 2020-08-02: Hurricane Isaias (Hurricane)
- 2020-03-25: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Bagwell Airport (NC99) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 20 miles away.
- Smithfield 4 mi west, about 6 min by car
- Pine Level 4 mi southeast, about 6 min by car
- Princeton 9 mi southeast, about 14 min by car
- Four Oaks 10 mi southwest, about 15 min by car
- Kenly 10 mi northeast, about 16 min by car
- Archer Lodge 11 mi northwest, about 17 min by car
- Clayton 12 mi northwest, about 19 min by car
- Wendell 18 mi north, about 28 min by car
- Benson 18 mi southwest, about 28 min by car
- Garner 21 mi northwest, about 34 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Selma, North Carolina, Indy beetle, CC0
- William E. Smith House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Selma-Smithfield CSX Freight-2-, DanTD ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Smithfield NC 3rd x Market SW corner 1, Ammodramus, CC0
- Nowell-Mayerburg-Oliver House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Brooklyn Historic District, LikeGrantTookRichmond, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hood-Strickland house (Smithfield NC) from SSW 1, Ammodramus, CC0
- Powerhouse of Prayer Church, Nyttend, Public domain
- Smithfield, North Carolina former post office from SW 2, Ammodramus, CC0
- Johnston County, NC courthouse from NE 1, Ammodramus, CC0
- Massey south of Richardson, Selma, Nyttend, Public domain
- Smithfield, North Carolina former Masonic lodge 1, Ammodramus, CC0
- Hood Bros. bldg Smithfield NC from NNE 1, Ammodramus, CC0
- Ava Gardner Museum, LikeGrantTookRichmond, CC BY-SA 3.0
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