City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Merced, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Merced - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

89,766
Residents
$59,938
Median income
$347,700
Median home
$1,503
Median rent (state)

Merced - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Merced lands in the 35th percentile for household income and the 10th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

35th
percentile, household income
72nd
percentile, home value
60th
percentile, median rent
10th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Merced, CA

Merced is a small city in California, home to 89,766 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $59,938 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 18.6%. Typical homes in Merced are valued around $347,700, and the median resident age is 29.8 years. 18.0% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 54.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 309 residential building permits were authorized in Merced (Construction Slowdown), down 54% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Merced's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 3577.4 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 59.7°F with 10.4 inches of precipitation per year.

California carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, California scores 110.7 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,503 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across California, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 24.8 minutes, with 75.4% driving alone and 7.9% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 96.9 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

89,766 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$59,938 /yr

Poverty 18.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Merced compare to other US cities?

Here's how Merced stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 35% higher than other cities
Home value 72% pricier than other cities
Median rent 60% pricier than other cities
Safety 10% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just California and the picture shifts: Merced ranks #398 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Merced's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in California, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

35thIncome percentile
10thSafety percentile

35th percentile nationally for median household income · 10th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Merced's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Merced's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 26 Avg. percentile National median
Merced's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Merced's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$347,700 28th percentile more affordable than 28% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Merced $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Merced, CA Merced, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Merced, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Merced, CA median $59,938/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Merced, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Merced, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 18.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 18.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 54.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
89,766
Median Income
$59,938
Median Home Value
$347,700
Median Age
29.8
Poverty Rate
18.6%
Labor force participation
54.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
18.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3577.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
784.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2792.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
59.7°F
Annual Precipitation
10.4"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
35
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
85,000 residents90,000 residents95,000 residents100,000 residents105,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 90,454 residents 99,724 residents ▲ +10.2%
Merced's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
309
housing units authorized
Single-Family
309
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 668
2020 744
2021 723
2022 568
2023 241
2024 309

Permit volume decreased 54% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
24.8 minutes
Drive Alone
75.4%
Carpool
7.4%
Public Transit
0.8%
Walk
1.7%
Work from Home
7.9%
Other
6.8%

Based on 34,472 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Merced sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,503/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
96.9 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Westminster
90,147 people
Hemet
90,646 people
Indio
90,669 people
San Leandro
88,531 people
Santa Barbara
88,024 people
Santa Monica
91,535 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Merced's 89,766 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Trenton, NJ
89,966 people
Fort Smith, AR
89,496 people
Clifton, NJ
89,247 people
Germantown, MD
90,521 people
Waukegan, IL
88,919 people
Avondale, AZ
90,644 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Merced's $59,938 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Basin, WY
$59,941 median income
Waterbury, VT
$59,934 median income
Abbotsford, WI
$59,943 median income
Winder, GA
$59,944 median income
Belleville, MI
$59,929 median income
Hilliard, FL
$59,949 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Merced, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Merced, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 31.7% 9.8% 39.2% 13.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 58.5% White 31.7% Black or African American 5.0% Asian 9.8% American Indian 0.7% Native Hawaiian 0.5% Some other race 39.2% Two or more races 13.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Merced compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Merced (this city) 89,766 $59,938
Westminster 90,147 $82,686
Hemet 90,646 $53,623
Indio 90,669 $78,709
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Merced, CA?

What is the population of Merced, CA? +

89,766 people live in Merced, CA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Merced, CA? +

Median annual household income in Merced runs $59,938, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Merced? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Merced; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is Merced, CA safe? +

Merced has a total crime rate of 3577.4 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Merced, CA? +

The median home value in Merced is $347,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Merced? +

Merced has an average annual temperature of 59.7°F, 10.4 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.