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Selah is a city in
Yakima County Yakima County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 256,728. The county seat and most populous city is Yakima, Washington, Ya ...
,
Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...
, United States. It is north of
Yakima Yakima ( or ) is a city in and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, United States, and the state's 11th most populous city. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 96,968 and a metropolitan population of 256,728. The ...
and part of its metropolitan area. The city's population was 8,153 at the 2020 census.


History

The name Selah originates from an indigenous word meaning "still water" or "smooth water". Selah was incorporated as a city on March 17, 1919. The
Tree Top Tree Top, Inc. was the first grower-owned fruit processing cooperative A cooperative (also known as co-operative, coöperative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomy, autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common ec ...
apple processor co-operative (established in 1960) has its headquarters and two processing plants in Selah. In 2004, the Yakama Tribe bought the old Hi-Country juicing plant, which it operated until 2010. Currently, the facility is owned and operated by
Sun-Rype Sun-Rype Products Ltd. is a Western Canadian fruit-based food and beverage manufacturer. Since its foundation in 1946, Sun-Rype has been producing juices and fruit snacks based in Kelowna, British Columbia, in the Okanagan. History Incorporat ...
, the U.S. arm of Western Canada's largest juice and fruit snack distributor. It continues to produce store brand apple juice and other beverages. In addition a number of fruit companies have warehouses there, due to the proximity of fruit orchards in the nearby Wenas Valley and access to regional railroad and roadway systems for shipment to markets. Selah and the Wenas Valley increasingly serve as a "bedroom community" of the larger city of
Yakima Yakima ( or ) is a city in and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, United States, and the state's 11th most populous city. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 96,968 and a metropolitan population of 256,728. The ...
to the south. Because of the nearby orchards and juice processing plants, Selah is often referred to as "The Apple Juice Capital of the World" Each Memorial Day weekend, the Washington State chapter of the
National Audubon Society The National Audubon Society (Audubon; ) is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation of birds and their habitats. Located in the United States and incorporated in 1905, Audubon is one of the oldest of such orga ...
holds a campout some 22 miles north of Selah at the Hazel Wolf Bird Sanctuary in the upper Wenas Valley near Wenas, Washington. The upper valley also holds Wenas Lake, an irrigation reservoir. Wenas Creek flows from the reservoir through the agricultural lower Wenas Valley. This is where the Wenas Creek Mammoth was found. The creek is a tributary of the
Yakima River The Yakima River is a tributary of the Columbia River in south central and eastern Washington state, named for the indigenous Yakama people. Lewis and Clark mention in their journals that the Chin-nâm pam (or the Lower Snake River Chamnapam N ...
. In July 2020, the city was the subject of a
New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
story examining small town reaction to non-violent protests about racial inequality which noted anecdotal evidence of uneven enforcement of laws and rules to people of color.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and is water.


Climate

This region experiences hot and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F. According to the
Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, Selah has a
warm-summer Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...
, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.Climate Summary for Selah, Washington
/ref>


Demographics


2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 7,147 people, 2,658 households, and 1,861 families living in the city. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was . There were 2,759 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 85.8%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.5%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 1.3% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.2%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 8.4% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 16.4% of the population. There were 2,658 households, of which 42.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 17.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.0% were non-families. 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.12. The median age in the city was 31.5 years. 29.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.9% were from 25 to 44; 22.8% were from 45 to 64; and 10.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.


2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 5,314 people, 2,269 households, and 1,688 families living in the city. The population density was 1,444.2 people per square mile (557.5/km2). There were 2,408 housing units at an average density of 551.1 per square mile (212.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 88.42%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.60%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 1.22% Native American, 0.82% Asian, 0.08%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 6.40% from other races, and 2.46% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 11.05% of the population. There were 2,269 households, out of which 44.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were non-families. 21.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.16. In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 31.7% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $42,386, and the median income for a family was $49,477. Males had a median income of $39,241 versus $28,067 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $18,595. About 9.0% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 13.4% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.


References


Further reading

Lince, Robert S. ''The Selah Story''. Selah, Washington: Selah Valley Optimist Printing, 1984.


External links


City of Selah
{{Authority control Cities in Washington (state) Cities in Yakima County, Washington Populated places established in 1919 Populated places on the Yakima River