Live Here

Living Here

Our Location

Selma, North Carolina, is just east of Raleigh in Johnston County

Located halfway between New York City and Daytona Beach, Florida along the I-95 corridor, the Town attracts tourists with its abundant lodging, shops, and restaurants.

The central business district, known as Downtown Selma, attracts residents and visitors to enjoy the quaint shops, fine eateries, and cultural and entertainment offerings that make the downtown district an exciting and vital part of the Town’s overall charm and appeal.

Many locally-owned and operated shops offer something for everyone—from the casual buyer to the serious collector. Restaurants offer a wide selection of choices such as coffee, ice cream, and a 15,000-square-foot food hall that bring together ten different chefs. The Rudy Theatre provides some of the finest live performance entertainment while annual festivals and special events throughout the year celebrate the history and culture of the area.

Achieving a Diversified Economy

Selma’s pro-business attitude and climate have fostered success in the retail industrial development arena. The excellent transportation network and proximity to the largest planned research park in the United States, have helped attract some of the best-known corporate names in the country to the Selma area. A recent addition to the local list of large corporate locations is Sysco Foods, whose $52 million, 400,000-square-foot distribution facility brought hundreds of jobs to the town.

Low operating costs, a productive workforce, and a business-friendly environment offer companies an exceptional opportunity to locate, operate and prosper. Companies appreciate the many amenities and excellent quality of life that the area offers their workers. They quickly realize they could not find a better place for their corporate family to experience hometown living at its best.

6,325

Population

1,306

Population Density

31.9

Median Age

53%

Families w/ Kids under 18

Quality of Life

Selma has maintained a traditional quality of life and relaxed atmosphere despite the growth and innovation that it is currently experiencing. Newcomers and long-time residents have the opportunity to select from a variety of homes in a booming real estate market. Selma is home to three nationally designated historic districts, where you can find homes that range from bungalows to Victorian homes.

Selma offers a variety of parks and activities for the whole family. The schools and community work together for our children to succeed. We have facilities for basketball, tennis, baseball, soccer, pickleball, and a walking track on our Harrison Campus.

Selma residents have access to a medical community that provides a complete range of outstanding services.

Selma provides southern hospitality and the opportunity for growth and innovation. It is the best of both worlds that provides a well-balanced lifestyle and a promising future.

Selma Annual Events

Selma Attractions

Recreation

Healthcare

Education

Public Education

Johnston County Public School System

School Registration: https://www.johnston.k12.nc.us/enrollment

2320 US 70 Business Hwy East
Smithfield, NC 27577

Phone: 919-934-6031
Fax: 919-934-2586

Selma Elementary School

311 W. Richardson Street
Selma, NC 27576

Phone: 919-965-3361
Fax: 919-965-0639

https://www.johnston.k12.nc.us/ses

Selma Middle School

1533 US Hwy 301 North
Selma, NC 27576

Phone: (919) 965-2555
Fax: 919-202-0116

https://www.johnston.k12.nc.us/sms

Smithfield-Selma High School

700 E. Booker Dairy Road
Smithfield, NC 27577

Phone: 919-934-5191
Fax: 919-934-3001

https://www.johnston.k12.nc.us/sss

College

Johnston Community College

245 College Road
PO Box 2350
Smithfield, NC 27577

https://www.johnstoncc.edu/

School Registration: (919) 209-2128

Johnston Community College has awarded associate degrees, certificates, and diplomas since 1969 to students pursuing college transfer, occupational, technical, and continuing education opportunities.

Occupational/Technical/Career Programs Offered:

Accounting
Air Conditioning Heating Refrigeration
Bioprocess Technology
Community Spanish Interpreter
Computer Integrated Machining
Cosmetology
Criminal Justice Technology
Diesel Heavy Equipment Technology
Early Childhood Education
Fire Protection Technology
Industrial Systems Technology
Information Technology
Medical Assisting
Nurse Aide
Occupational Technical Career
Office Administration
Paralegal
Pharmacy Technology
Therapeutic Massage
Welding

Downtown Selma

A Quaint Town with Shopping and Dining

A walking tour of Downtown Selma offers visitors and shoppers well-stocked antique shops, specialty stores, coffee shop, and Ice Cream parlor all located within a short distance of ample parking, the Rudy Theatre, and Historic Union Depot.

The historic Selma Union Depot, built in 1924 by the Atlantic Coast Line and Southern Railroads to serve their passengers, was restored and renovated in 2002. It now operates two daily Amtrak passenger trains and rail services offered by CSX, Norfolk Southern, and the State of North Carolina.

The historic Rudy Theatre hosts the Live@The Rudy. These Branson-style variety shows entertain visitors and motor coach groups from New York to Miami with musical delights from 1950s rock and roll to classic and contemporary country and spectacular gospel.

Selma Annual Events

Something is happening in Downtown Selma all the time. From our Soul Food Fest to our Railroad Days Festival and the Rockin’ on Raiford Concert Series, our yearly calendar is full of fun, family-friendly events each month.

Click HERE for all of the Annual Events happening in Downtown Selma. All events are posted on Selma Parks and Recreation’s webpage and Facebook page. Be sure to LIKE us and SUBSCRIBE to our events page! For information about these events, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Selma Parks & Recreation by emailing Parks@Selma-NC.com or call 919-975-1411.

See You Soon in Selma!

Selma’s History

Born as a Railroad Town

Selma was officially chartered as a Town on February 11, 1873, but the Town’s true birth took place on May 1, 1867, when there was a public sale of lots around a newly established station on the North Carolina Railroad. Selma was born as a “Railroad Town,” and our rail heritage is still evident today, with our recently renovated 1924 Union Depot (Selma Union Depot) supporting Amtrak service.

Mitchner Station The Town is also home to the Mitchener Station, which was built in 1855 and it is thought to be the oldest surviving train station in North Carolina. When Interstate 95 was built in the late 1950s, the Town experienced growth due to its proximity to the Interstate. Today, there are many hotels and restaurants located in the area for visitors traveling on Interstate 95.

Vick’s Vapor-Rub was Invented in Selma, NC

One of Selma’s most famous residents was Lunsford Richardson, who was born in 1854 on a farm near Selma. He rose to fame as the inventor of Vick’s Vapo-Rub. After graduating from Davidson College at the top of his class, he became a teacher and then a pharmacist, working out of Dr. Joshua Vick’s drugstore in Selma. While in Johnston County, he invented Richardson’s Croup and Pneumonia Cure Salve and later changed the name to Vick’s Salve in honor of Dr. Vick. The name was then changed to Vick’s Vapo-Rub and a nationwide advertising campaign made the name a household word. In 1905, Richardson convinced the Postal Service to allow him to mass-mail his advertising circulars simply to “boxholder” instead of individuals. Because this marked the first such mailing, Richardson gained the dubious distinction of also being known as “the father of junk mail.”