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COUNTY

Merced County

California · 297,260 residents (2025 est.) · 1,938.004 sq mi
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Notable rankings
#55Most foreign-born residentsof 3,14425.6%#81Youngest by median ageof 3,14431.8
The short version

Merced County has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $65,510. Population has grown 38% since 2000. 15% 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 $391,800. At a median age of 31.8, residents skew younger than the country as a whole. Households here earn about 34% less than the California median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 31.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 94%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
290,201
+38%since 2000
from 210,554 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
150 / sq mi
+20%since 2009
from 125 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
31.8
+10%since 2000
from 29.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:297,260 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
167K201K234K268K301K1990201020202024Merced County
2024290K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 57%(20,395)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 97.9%(22,994)
US avg: 6%
10 to 148.5%(24,799)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 199.1%(26,344)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 247.4%(21,542)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3414.5%(42,067)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4413%(37,597)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.9%(31,541)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6410%(28,921)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 747.1%(20,541)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 843.4%(9,769)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.3%(3,691)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$65,510
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,532 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$28,030
+97%since 2000
from $14,257 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
43.5%
+18.4 ptssince 2009
from 25.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
19.1%
−2.6 ptssince 2000
from 21.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.465
+1%since 2010
from 0.460 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information10.7%
US avg: 10.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing10.2%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction10.1%
US avg: 1.2%
Retail trade9.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade8.6%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance7.5%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical6.5%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing3.3%
US avg: 2.2%
Other services2.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration1.5%
US avg: 4.8%
Education & health services1%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food0.8%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$391,800
+94%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $110,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,343
+42%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $518 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
54.0%
−4.7 ptssince 2000
from 58.7% in 2000
46.0% rent
Vacancy rate
5.3%
−5.6 ptssince 2009
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
31.6%
−10.6 ptssince 2009
from 42.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
46.9%
−3.7 ptssince 2009
from 50.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
6.0
−7%since 2009
from 6.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
32
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Merced County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic40.6%(85,585)
Black3.6%(7,594)
Hispanic / Latino45.3%(95,466)
Asian6.7%(14,041)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic23.2%(67,325)
Black2.6%(7,455)
Hispanic / Latino63.4%(183,933)
Asian7.1%(20,536)
Other3.8%(10,952)
Diversity Score
67
−10%since 2009
from 75 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
30
Unchangedsince 2020
from 30 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican60.5%(175,488)
Central American1.1%(3,249)
Salvadoran0.6%(1,726)
Puerto Rican0.3%(975)
Guatemalan0.3%(820)
Spaniard0.3%(754)
Peruvian0.1%(316)
Nicaraguan0.1%(275)
Costa Rican0.1%(209)
Honduran0.1%(149)
Colombian0%(114)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Cuban0%(88)
Argentine0%(38)
Bolivian0%(33)
Chilean0%(33)
Uruguayan0%(29)
Asian origin
Asian Indian2.5%(7,134)
Hmong1.9%(5,385)
Filipino1%(2,916)
Chinese0.3%(902)
Mien0.2%(723)
Thai0.2%(623)
Vietnamese0.2%(605)
Korean0.2%(498)
Laotian0.2%(455)
Japanese0.1%(326)
Kazakh0.1%(246)
Pakistani0%(101)
+ 6 more asian origin groups with data
Pacific Islander origin
Tongan0.1%(356)
Samoan0.1%(269)
Chamorro0%(111)
Fijian0%(109)
Ancestry
Portuguese4.8%(13,987)
German4.3%(12,604)
Irish3.3%(9,662)
English3.3%(9,506)
Italian1.8%(5,305)
American1.7%(4,976)
French0.8%(2,298)
Scottish0.6%(1,839)
Dutch0.5%(1,578)
Norwegian0.4%(1,289)
Swedish0.4%(1,142)
Arab0.3%(991)
+ 41 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh0.3%(732)
Polish0.2%(583)
Scotch-Irish0.2%(580)
Danish0.2%(566)
Russian0.2%(507)
Swiss0.2%(456)
British0.1%(424)
Iranian0.1%(293)
Canadian0.1%(203)
Greek0.1%(199)
Australian0.1%(184)
Hungarian0%(128)
Brazilian0%(106)
Croatian0%(92)
Nigerian0%(85)
Ukrainian0%(78)
Austrian0%(71)
Romanian0%(71)
Iraqi0%(70)
Bulgarian0%(61)
Finnish0%(57)
Armenian0%(47)
Belgian0%(47)
Czech0%(46)
Lebanese0%(41)
Slovak0%(33)
Ghanaian0%(33)
Turkish0%(32)
Ethiopian0%(30)
Moroccan0%(29)
Slovene0%(26)
Egyptian0%(21)
Guyanese0%(18)
Haitian0%(15)
Serbian0%(13)
Syrian0%(5)
RANKED:Largest Mexican population · Largest Portuguese population · Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest English population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
15.3%
+4.3 ptssince 2000
from 11.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
72.3%
+8.5 ptssince 2000
from 63.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
4.7%
+1.3 ptssince 2000
from 3.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
31.3 min
+67%since 2000
from 18.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
76.0%
+2.5 ptssince 2009
from 73.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
10.5%
−3.8 ptssince 2009
from 14.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.5%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
6.6%
+2.4 ptssince 2009
from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.4%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.2%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
7.3%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 8.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
10.6%
−4.7 ptssince 2011
from 15.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
59.2%
−1.8 ptssince 2011
from 60.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
16.3%
+3.2 ptssince 2009
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
26.6%
−27.4 ptssince 2009
from 54.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.7%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 50.3% in 2009
Female
49.3%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 49.7% in 2009
Foreign born
25.6%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 24.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
3.6%
−46.3 ptssince 2009
from 49.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
12.5%
−2.2 ptssince 2012
from 14.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
8.1%
−72.7 ptssince 2013
from 80.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
88.4%
+13.2 ptssince 2017
from 75.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
47.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2016
from 47.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
44.2%
+0.9 ptssince 2016
from 43.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married46%(51,577)
Married45.1%(50,501)
Widowed2.5%(2,838)
Divorced6.4%(7,166)
Women 15+
Never married39.2%(43,044)
Married43.5%(47,872)
Widowed7.9%(8,705)
Divorced9.4%(10,310)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Pop 289,709
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Pop 299,048
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Pop 283,674
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Pop 272,861
Places similar to Merced County
Head to head

Compare Merced County to nearby counties

MERCED COUNTY VS
Stanislaus County
Income$81,468+24%
Home value$450,100+15%
Population557,719+88%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MERCED COUNTY VS
San Benito County
Income$114,394+75%
Home value$793,400+103%
Population70,082−76%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MERCED COUNTY VS
Mariposa County
Income$68,412+4%
Home value$387,900−1%
Population16,918−94%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MERCED COUNTY VS
Santa Clara County
Income$164,281+151%
Home value$1,490,600+280%
Population1,914,391+544%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Merced County, California?

Merced County, California has about 290,201 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Merced County, California?

The typical household in Merced County, California earns about $65,510 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Merced County, California expensive?

In Merced County, California, the median home is worth about $391,800, and the typical rent is about $1,343 a month.

How educated are people in Merced County, California?

About 15.3% of adults age 25 and over in Merced County, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Merced County, California?

About 19.1% of people in Merced County, California live below the federal poverty line.

Has Merced County, California grown since 1990?

Yes, Merced County, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 111,798 residents, a change of about 63 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

63 census tracts (top 20 by population)
Census Tract 23.01Census Tract 10.08Census Tract 5.05Census Tract 17Census Tract 20.02Census Tract 23.03Census Tract 22.04Census Tract 3.05Census Tract 22.01Census Tract 7.02Census Tract 5.04Census Tract 11.01Census Tract 6.03Census Tract 8.01Census Tract 3.01Census Tract 23.05Census Tract 6.01Census Tract 10.07Census Tract 9.04Census Tract 15.03
19 ZIP codes
ZIP 93635ZIP 95301ZIP 95340ZIP 95348ZIP 95341ZIP 95334ZIP 95315ZIP 95388ZIP 93620ZIP 95322ZIP 95324ZIP 95365ZIP 95333ZIP 95374ZIP 95317ZIP 95303ZIP 95369ZIP 95312ZIP 93665
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

Merced County, California: demographics, income & housing data · CensusEasy