COMPARING TWO PLACES
Merced vs Waco
PLACE A
Merced, CA
VS
PLACE B
Waco, TX
Merced and Waco are close in size. their median incomes are within a few thousand dollars.
MERCEDWACODIFFERENCE
Total population297,260308,807−4% vs Waco
Population density153111+43
Population growth9.9%9.2%+0.8 pts
Median age31.835.1−3.3
Male50.7%49.0%+1.8 pts
Female49.3%51.0%−1.8 pts
Foreign-born25.6%8.3%+17.3 pts
White, non-Hispanic23.2%55.1%−31.9 pts
Black2.6%13.0%−10.4 pts
Hispanic / Latino63.4%26.4%+37.0 pts
Asian7.1%1.6%+5.5 pts
Other3.8%3.9%−0.1 pts
Median household income$65,510$66,246−$736
Per capita income$28,030$34,919−$6,889
Poverty rate19.1%16.0%+3.1 pts
Income inequality (Gini)0.4650.481−0.0
Bachelor's degree or higher15.3%27.6%−12.3 pts
Graduate degree4.7%10.8%−6.1 pts
Unemployment rate10.6%4.5%+6.1 pts
Labor force participation59.2%61.5%−2.3 pts
Median home value$391,800$233,362+$158,438
Median gross rent$1,343$1,133+$210
Owner-occupied54.0%63.5%−9.5 pts
Housing vacancy rate5.3%11.1%−5.8 pts
Rent-burdened households46.9%50.0%−3.1 pts
Average commute31.322.1+9.2
Worked from home6.6%9.8%−3.2 pts
Public transit to work0.5%0.3%+0.2 pts
Uninsured8.1%14.6%−6.5 pts
Population, 1990 – 2025