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CITY

Merced

California · 99,724 residents (2025 est.) · 23.254 sq mi
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The short version

Merced has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $63,122. Population has grown 44% since 2000. 20% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than tripled since 2000, reaching $372,600. At a median age of 30.0, residents skew younger than the country as a whole. Households here earn about 36% less than the California median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 30.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
20% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 98%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
91,953
+44%since 2000
from 63,893 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
3,954 / sq mi
+22%since 2009
from 3,232 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
30.0
+8%since 2000
from 27.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:99,724 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
53K63K74K85K96K1990201020202024Merced
202492K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 57.7%(7,112)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 98%(7,374)
US avg: 6%
10 to 148.8%(8,078)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 199.1%(8,392)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 247.9%(7,238)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3416.8%(15,404)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412%(11,034)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 549.9%(9,082)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 649.5%(8,694)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 746.3%(5,819)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 843%(2,762)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1%(964)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$63,122
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,429 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$27,343
+108%since 2000
from $13,115 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
43.3%
+21.5 ptssince 2009
from 21.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
23.9%
−4.0 ptssince 2000
from 27.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.467
Unchangedsince 2010
from 0.466 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information10.5%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade7.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Retail trade7.3%
US avg: 9.9%
Finance & insurance7%
US avg: 5.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing6.7%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction6.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Professional, scientific, technical6.5%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services3.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Transportation & warehousing3.3%
US avg: 2.2%
Public administration2%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food1%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$372,600
+98%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $103,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,393
+50%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $509 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
45.9%
−0.6 ptssince 2000
from 46.5% in 2000
54.1% rent
Vacancy rate
6.1%
−3.7 ptssince 2009
from 9.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
30.0%
−6.4 ptssince 2009
from 36.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
52.5%
−4.4 ptssince 2009
from 56.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
5.9
−21%since 2009
from 7.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
59
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Merced on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic37.8%(24,121)
Black6%(3,864)
Hispanic / Latino41.4%(26,425)
Asian11.2%(7,182)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic21.1%(19,362)
Black4.6%(4,230)
Hispanic / Latino60.1%(55,300)
Asian9.4%(8,681)
Other4.8%(4,380)
Diversity Score
73
−10%since 2009
from 81 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican56.9%(52,320)
Central American1.3%(1,190)
Salvadoran0.8%(719)
Spaniard0.4%(387)
Puerto Rican0.2%(212)
Nicaraguan0.2%(160)
Costa Rican0.1%(107)
Guatemalan0.1%(86)
Peruvian0.1%(79)
Honduran0.1%(67)
Cuban0.1%(66)
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Hmong3.2%(2,956)
Asian Indian1.8%(1,692)
Filipino1.3%(1,188)
Mien0.7%(633)
Chinese0.7%(604)
Laotian0.4%(325)
Korean0.3%(296)
Vietnamese0.2%(189)
Japanese0.2%(155)
Kazakh0.1%(118)
Thai0.1%(76)
Pakistani0.1%(54)
+ 5 more asian origin groups with data
Taiwanese0%(33)
Cambodian0%(15)
Malaysian0%(13)
Nepalese0%(12)
Pacific Islander origin
Tongan0.2%(216)
Samoan0.1%(99)
Chamorro0%(35)
Fijian0%(24)
Ancestry
German5%(4,569)
English4%(3,643)
Irish3.4%(3,121)
Italian2.4%(2,239)
Portuguese2%(1,812)
American1.5%(1,338)
French1.1%(1,051)
Scottish0.7%(619)
Arab0.5%(487)
Dutch0.4%(399)
Danish0.4%(346)
+ 35 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.4%(328)
Polish0.3%(289)
Russian0.3%(253)
Scotch-Irish0.3%(249)
Welsh0.2%(160)
British0.2%(157)
Australian0.2%(156)
Swedish0.2%(146)
Greek0.1%(80)
Canadian0.1%(73)
Ukrainian0.1%(72)
Iraqi0.1%(70)
Hungarian0.1%(67)
Bulgarian0.1%(61)
Croatian0.1%(61)
Iranian0.1%(54)
Lebanese0%(41)
Belgian0%(37)
Armenian0%(34)
Ghanaian0%(33)
Finnish0%(30)
Nigerian0%(26)
Swiss0%(25)
Guyanese0%(18)
Slovene0%(17)
Egyptian0%(16)
Haitian0%(15)
Czech0%(14)
Serbian0%(13)
Brazilian0%(11)
Syrian0%(5)
RANKED:Largest Mexican population · Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest Hmong population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
20.2%
+6.6 ptssince 2000
from 13.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
76.9%
+8.4 ptssince 2000
from 68.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
6.9%
+2.2 ptssince 2000
from 4.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
28.6 min
+88%since 2000
from 15.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
73.6%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 71.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.4%
−4.5 ptssince 2009
from 12.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.8%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
8.4%
+4.6 ptssince 2009
from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.4%
−2.8 ptssince 2009
from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.4%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
8.9%
−4.2 ptssince 2009
from 13.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
11.3%
−2.7 ptssince 2011
from 14.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
61.3%
+1.8 ptssince 2011
from 59.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
20.3%
+4.1 ptssince 2009
from 16.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
29.5%
−28.7 ptssince 2009
from 58.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.9%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 48.7% in 2009
Female
50.1%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 51.3% in 2009
Foreign born
22.1%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 20.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
3.8%
−43.8 ptssince 2009
from 47.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
13.8%
−4.8 ptssince 2012
from 18.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
7.6%
−75.5 ptssince 2013
from 83.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
94.1%
+12.4 ptssince 2017
from 81.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
53.1%
−1.6 ptssince 2016
from 54.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
37.9%
+3.9 ptssince 2016
from 34.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married50%(17,121)
Married39.4%(13,514)
Widowed2.7%(927)
Divorced7.9%(2,708)
Women 15+
Never married44.1%(15,470)
Married36.3%(12,747)
Widowed7.6%(2,679)
Divorced12%(4,223)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Merced, California?

Merced, California has about 91,953 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Merced, California?

The typical household in Merced, California earns about $63,122 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Merced, California expensive?

In Merced, California, the median home is worth about $372,600, and the typical rent is about $1,393 a month.

How educated are people in Merced, California?

About 20.2% of adults age 25 and over in Merced, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Merced, California?

About 23.9% of people in Merced, California live below the federal poverty line.

Has Merced, California grown since 1990?

Yes, Merced, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 35,737 residents, a change of about 64 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →