COMPARING TWO PLACES
Waco vs Merced
PLACE A
Waco, TX
VS
PLACE B
Merced, CA
Waco and Merced are close in size. their median incomes are within a few thousand dollars.
WACOMERCEDDIFFERENCE
Total population308,807297,260+4% vs Merced
Population density111153−43
Population growth9.2%9.9%−0.8 pts
Median age35.131.8+3.3
Male49.0%50.7%−1.8 pts
Female51.0%49.3%+1.8 pts
Foreign-born8.3%25.6%−17.3 pts
White, non-Hispanic55.1%23.2%+31.9 pts
Black13.0%2.6%+10.4 pts
Hispanic / Latino26.4%63.4%−37.0 pts
Asian1.6%7.1%−5.5 pts
Other3.9%3.8%+0.1 pts
Median household income$66,246$65,510+$736
Per capita income$34,919$28,030+$6,889
Poverty rate16.0%19.1%−3.1 pts
Income inequality (Gini)0.4810.465+0.0
Bachelor's degree or higher27.6%15.3%+12.3 pts
Graduate degree10.8%4.7%+6.1 pts
Unemployment rate4.5%10.6%−6.1 pts
Labor force participation61.5%59.2%+2.3 pts
Median home value$233,362$391,800−$158,438
Median gross rent$1,133$1,343−$210
Owner-occupied63.5%54.0%+9.5 pts
Housing vacancy rate11.1%5.3%+5.8 pts
Rent-burdened households50.0%46.9%+3.1 pts
Average commute22.131.3−9.2
Worked from home9.8%6.6%+3.2 pts
Public transit to work0.3%0.5%−0.2 pts
Uninsured14.6%8.1%+6.5 pts
Population, 1990 – 2025