Living in Selmer, TN: What It’s Really Like to Move Here in 2026
The McNairy County Courthouse in downtown Selmer. Photo: Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
If you’ve driven US-45 between Jackson and Corinth, you’ve passed through Selmer. It’s the county seat of McNairy County in southwest Tennessee, it sits about 20 minutes from the Mississippi line, and the town had 4,446 residents at the 2020 census. It has a working courthouse square, and homes here sell for far less than the Tennessee average.
This guide covers what you’d want to know before buying here: home prices from our own MLS data, jobs, healthcare, drive times, things to do, and the drawbacks that don’t make it onto the welcome sign.
Selmer, TN at a Glance
| Town population | 4,446 (2020 Census) |
| ZIP 38375 population | About 8,400 |
| Median age (town) | 40.5 |
| Median household income (town) | $48,092 |
| Median home sale price | $196,950 (MAAR MLS, last 12 months) |
| County | McNairy |
| Main highways | US-45 and US-64 |
How Selmer Got Its Name and Its County Seat
Selmer wasn’t the first county seat. When the Mobile and Ohio Railroad was being planned, the people of Purdy were asked to invest $100,000 in it. They refused, and the line was built four miles west of Purdy in 1858. Residents argued about moving the courthouse for more than 20 years. In 1891, a courthouse was built at the new railroad town of Selmer, and the county seat has been here ever since.
The name has its own story. According to the memoirs of a West Tennessee judge, the town’s developer meant to name it after Selma, Alabama, but misspelled it when reporting to the post office department. The spelling stuck.
Does Selmer Have a Town Square?
Yes. The McNairy County Courthouse sits on landscaped grounds in the middle of town, and the blocks around it hold most of Selmer’s history and events.
A downtown walking trail connects the main stops: two rockabilly murals, Rockabilly Park, the farmers market, the McNairy County Museum, the courthouse, and the Latta Visitor’s and Cultural Center. The local historical society recently identified the Mesker Buildings downtown, and photos of McNairy County Music Hall of Fame inductees line Court Avenue.
Selmer’s Rockabilly History
In September 1954, Elvis Presley and Carl Perkins met for the first time in McNairy County. Perkins made his first recordings in nearby Eastview, and Bethel Springs was the site of Elvis’s first live show outside Memphis. Dewey Phillips, the Memphis DJ who helped launch Presley, Perkins, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis, came from Adamsville.
Selmer celebrates that history every June at the Rockabilly Highway Revival downtown, with live music, a car show, food trucks, and the McNairy County Music Hall of Fame induction.
The Slugburger
Move here and someone will hand you a slugburger. It’s a patty of ground beef or pork stretched with flour or soy grits, served on a bun with mustard, pickles and onions. It dates back to the Depression, when stretching meat was a necessity. Pat’s Cafe on East Court Avenue is credited with originating it and still serves them today. Selmer even holds an annual Slug Out contest to pick the best one.
Photo: Bryan Huff on Unsplash
Selmer Population and Housing
Selmer is a small town of about 4,400 people. About two-thirds of homes in town are owner-occupied, the median age is 40.5, and the median household income was $48,092 in 2023. If you count the full 38375 ZIP code, which takes in the rural area around town, median household income was $50,108 and has grown about 60% since 2011.
McNairy County had 25,866 residents at the 2020 census, with an estimated 26,236 in 2025. The county’s median age is 44.5.
Housing in town skews older. The median home in Selmer was built in 1977, and median rent is about $674 a month.
What Is the Average Home Price in Selmer, TN?
Based on 84 homes sold in Selmer over the past 12 months, according to the Memphis Area Association of REALTORS MLS:
- Median sale price: $196,950
- Average sale price: $212,464
- Highest sale: $475,000
- Median days on market: 71
- Sale-to-list ratio: about 97%
For comparison, the average Tennessee home value is about $336,000, so a typical Selmer home sells for roughly 40% less.
Selmer homes take longer to sell than the rest of McNairy County. Countywide, the median time on market is 50 days, compared to 71 in Selmer. Prices are close, with a county median of $202,272.
For buyers, that means time to compare homes without racing other offers. Sellers are still getting about 97% of their list price, so a well-priced home won’t sell at a deep discount. The homes that sat longest, some for nearly a year, were the ones asking more than buyers would pay. If you want to see what a monthly payment on a Selmer home could look like, our loan page walks through your options.
Homes for Sale
Jobs and the Local Economy
Manufacturing is the backbone of Selmer’s economy. Monogram Refrigeration, a GE Appliances company, has built refrigerators in Selmer since 1986. A $34 million expansion announced in 2023 added 150 jobs and made Monogram the largest industrial employer in McNairy County. The plant builds Monogram and Cafe brand bottom-freezer refrigerators.
Phillips 66 runs a lubricants plant on Industrial Park Drive, which it took over when it bought Spectrum Corporation in 2014. The plant blends and packages lubricating oils for automotive, outdoor power equipment and motorsports markets, and it had about 200 employees at last public count. McNairy County Schools and county government are also among the county’s top employers.
Many residents commute. Jackson is about 45 minutes north for healthcare, retail and corporate jobs, and Corinth, Mississippi is about 25 minutes south.
Hospitals and Healthcare Near Selmer
This is the most important thing to know before you move. McNairy County has not had a hospital since 2018, when McNairy Regional Hospital closed after its owner decided against major sewer-line repairs under the building. Since then, ambulances have taken patients to hospitals in Corinth and Jackson.
That is starting to change. In March 2026, county officials broke ground on a freestanding emergency room in Selmer with a 24/7 ER and an imaging center, supported by Magnolia Regional Health Center. A freestanding ER is not a full hospital, though. Patients who need surgery or an overnight stay will still be transferred.
Nearest full hospitals:
- Magnolia Regional Health Center, Corinth, MS: about 25 minutes
- Jackson-Madison County General Hospital, Jackson, TN: about 45 minutes
- Memphis hospitals, including Methodist, Baptist, Regional One and Le Bonheur Children’s: about 1 hour 45 minutes
Things to Do in and Around Selmer
Big Hill Pond State Park. Photo: Bryan Huff on Unsplash
Big Hill Pond State Park is the main outdoor draw, about 25 minutes southwest of town. It has hiking and mountain biking trails, fishing on the 165-acre Travis McNatt Lake, 14 miles of horseback riding trails, and more than 4,000 acres of timberland and hardwood bottomland. Bald eagles nest along Cypress Creek and the Tuscumbia River at the edge of the park.
Coon Creek Science Center is a fossil site in McNairy County that preserves marine shells and the remains of sea creatures such as mosasaurs from about 70 million years ago. UT Martin runs the site, and it’s open by appointment only. The public can visit on Community Days, held the third Saturday of each month, for $20 per person with a reservation.
Sheriff Buford Pusser Home and Museum in nearby Adamsville preserves the home of the McNairy County sheriff whose story inspired the Walking Tall films. That story changed in August 2025. After reopening the 1967 death of his wife, Pauline, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation found that Pusser’s account of the roadside ambush didn’t match the physical evidence, including blood spatter on the car and an autopsy done after her body was exhumed. The district attorney said that if Pusser were alive today, prosecutors would take a murder indictment to a grand jury. Pusser died in a car crash in 1974, so the case will never be tried, and some of his family still dispute the findings. The City of Adamsville acknowledged the TBI’s findings, and the museum shared that statement. Visitors now see the home with both versions of the story in mind.
Shiloh National Military Park and Pickwick Lake are both within about 45 minutes, so boating, fishing, and Civil War history make easy day trips.
How Far Is Selmer From Major Cities?
Approximate drive times from downtown Selmer:
| City | Approx. miles | Approx. drive |
| Corinth, MS | 20 | 25 min |
| Jackson, TN | 40 | 45 min |
| Tupelo, MS | 70 | 1 hr 15 min |
| Memphis, TN | 95 | 1 hr 45 min |
| Huntsville, AL | 140 | 2 hr 30 min |
| Nashville, TN | 155 | 2 hr 45 min |
| Chattanooga, TN | 245 | 4 hr 15 min |
| Atlanta, GA | 296 | 5 hr 45 min |
| Knoxville, TN | 340 | 5 hr |
US-64 and US-45 cross in Selmer, and both were widened to four-lane divided highways between the late 1990s and mid-2010s. Memphis International is the closest major airport.
Where to Eat in Selmer
Selmer’s dining is mostly local diners, Mexican restaurants and fast food. Start with Pat’s Cafe on East Court Avenue for a slugburger. For more variety, most residents drive to Corinth or Jackson. Corinth has its own slugburger tradition, and locals there will point you to the White Trolley Cafe.
Schools in Selmer
Selmer is served by McNairy County Schools, which has more than 4,000 students across eight schools. Selmer Elementary and Selmer Middle School are rated C+, and McNairy Central High School is rated B-. If schools are a deciding factor, tour them and check the current Tennessee report card data before you choose a home.
Pros and Cons of Living in Selmer, TN
Pros
- Home prices. The median Selmer home sold for $196,950 over the past year, roughly 40% below the Tennessee average.
- A real downtown. The courthouse square has a museum, a farmers market, murals, and the June Rockabilly Highway Revival.
- Outdoor access. Big Hill Pond, Pickwick Lake and Shiloh are all within 45 minutes.
- Manufacturing jobs. The Monogram Refrigeration expansion added 150 positions in town.
- Time to decide. Selmer homes take a median of 71 days to sell and close at about 97% of list price, so buyers usually aren’t competing with multiple offers.
Cons
- No hospital in the county. The new ER will help with emergencies, but full hospital care means a drive to Corinth or Jackson.
- Lower local incomes. Selmer’s median household income is about 28% below the state average.
- Limited dining and shopping. Plan on driving to Corinth or Jackson for bigger shopping trips and more restaurant choices.
- Older homes. With a median build year of 1977, a good inspection matters. Homes outside town limits often have wells and septic systems, which should be inspected separately.
- Severe weather. An EF-3 tornado hit Selmer in April 2025, killing five people. Get homeowners insurance quotes before you make an offer.
Frequently Asked Questions About Selmer, TN
Is Selmer, TN a good place to live?
Selmer fits buyers who want lower home prices, a small-town square, and outdoor recreation, and who are comfortable driving 25 to 45 minutes for hospital care, bigger shopping, and more dining options.
What is the average home price in Selmer, TN?
The median sale price in Selmer over the past 12 months is $196,950, based on 84 closed sales in the MAAR MLS. The average sale price is $212,464.
Does Selmer, TN have a hospital?
Not currently. McNairy County’s hospital closed in 2018. A freestanding 24/7 emergency room broke ground in Selmer in March 2026. The nearest full hospitals are in Corinth, Mississippi and Jackson, Tennessee.
How far is Selmer from Memphis?
About 95 miles, or roughly 1 hour 45 minutes by car.
Is Selmer growing?
Slowly. McNairy County’s population was estimated at 26,236 in 2025, up from 25,866 in 2020.
What is Selmer, TN known for?
Rockabilly music history, the slugburger, its courthouse square, and its location near Big Hill Pond State Park.
Thinking About a Move to Selmer?
Our team shows homes in Selmer and across McNairy County, from houses near the square to acreage out in the county. Kari can also walk you through the loan side, so you know your numbers before you start touring. Reach out here and we’ll match you with the right agent for your search.