Welcome to Selma! Located about 50 miles west of Montgomery, this small central Alabama community has a rich history and a diverse population. So, let’s take a look at the apartment rental scene.
When you think of Selma, odds are you think of civil rights. Antebellum Selma was a hot bed of “separate but equal” discrimination throughout the first half of the 20th century. Beginning in the early 1960s, civil rights activists, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., helped to organize marches and rallies into Montgomery to draw attention to a myriad of inequalities, including repressive voting measures and unequal opportunities for education and employment. Many of these marches were met with state-sanctioned violence, but eventually allowed for the congressional passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
So, this city has serious significance in the history of social change. But unfortunately, Selma has fallen on hard times in recent years. The population has seen some steady decline from 1970-2010, and poverty and crime are problems to look out for.
Despite this, there are still many great things about Selma, including a rich history, a low cost of living, cheap apartments, a good medical center, and many great shopping opportunities. Additionally, proximity to Montgomery will make it easy for you to get your fix of big city amenities without all the hassle.
Sorry to bring things down again, but apartments for rent are kind of difficult to come by in Selma. Most homes are owner-occupied, and most of the city’s few apartment complexes are in some slightly sketchy portions of town. So, allow yourself plenty of time to find a decent rental around here.
If you’re planning on settling in urban Selma, you should focus your search in two neighborhoods. The area surrounding Selma University and the Vaughn Regional Medical Center, as well as the neighborhood directly to the south, are two of the safest, most desirable neighborhoods in Selma proper. Here, you’ll find a few apartments for rent with all the convenience and safety you're looking for. Two bedrooms in these areas range from $450 to $650.
After these portions of urban Selma, your next best option is in the northeastern suburbs on the way to Valley Grande. You can find apartments for rent around the Selma Mall as well as to the east of Wallace State Community College. If you’re looking for rental homes, there may be some of these available in this area as well. Two bedrooms here range from $500 to $700.
Because there aren’t many rentals available in Selma, it’s you—not your landlord—that will have to be flexible. Obtaining a short-term lease may be difficult, though possible in the student housing areas surrounding Selma’s two institutes of higher education. There are, however, several apartments that are quite pet friendly.
Welcome to Selma! Enjoy all that this small community has to offer!