United States › Merced METRO AREA · 2010 ACS
Merced Metro Merced, CA · 1 counties · 255,793 residents · 1,938 sq mi
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The short version
Merced is a metro area of 255,793 people. The median age is 29.6, younger than the US median of 37.2. 12% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 28% national rate. The foreign-born share is 25%. 54% of homes are owner-occupied. 21.8% of people across the metro live below the federal poverty line.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Younger
median age 29.6
US median: 37.2
Less educated
12% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 72%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01
Population & growth 132 / sq mi
+21%since 2000
from 109 / sq mi in 2000
from 29.0 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
167K 201K 234K 268K 301K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Merced Age distribution, 2010
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Section 02
Income & economy $43,844
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,532 in 2000
US average: $52,703
from $14,257 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
from 25.1% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
from 21.7% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Workforce by industry, 2010
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 11.7%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.2%
Transportation & warehousing 3.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.7%
Education & health services 0.9%
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$241,000
+72%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $110,900 in 2000
US average: $225,659
$798
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $518 in 2000
US average: $853
from 58.7% in 2000
45.5% rent
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
from 3.26 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
from 42.2% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
from 50.6% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
from 6.5 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 40.6%(85,585)
Hispanic / Latino 45.3%(95,466)
2010
White, non-Hispanic 31.9%(81,599)
Hispanic / Latino 54.9%(140,485)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 38 more ancestry groups with data from 11.0% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
from 63.8% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
from 3.4% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 18.8 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
from 73.5% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
from 14.4% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
from 8.4% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07
Work & employment from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
from 23.6% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08
People & community from 24.7% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
from 7.8% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Women 15+
Never married 39.2%(43,044)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
from 19.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 40.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 9.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 12.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 42.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 49.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 51.4% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 24.8%(1,849)
Gulf War (1990s) 21%(1,564)
Share of the 7,464 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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In this metro
Largest cities MercedCENTRAL 99,724 Los Banos 49,614 Atwater 32,133 Livingston 14,690 Winton 11,797 Delhi 11,009 Franklin CDP (Merced County) 7,392 Hilmar-Irwin 6,132 Gustine 6,112 McSwain 5,783 Dos Palos 5,697 Planada 3,506 Santa Nella 2,107 Le Grand 1,636 South Dos Palos 1,102 University of California-Merced 724 El Nido 510 Ballico 447 Cressey 386 Bear Creek 346 Dos Palos Y 273 Volta 268 Snelling 243 Stevinson 144 Tuttle 73 What's inside
1 component county Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Merced, CA? Merced, CA has about 255,793 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Merced, CA? The typical household in Merced, CA earns about $43,844 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Merced, CA expensive? In Merced, CA, the median home is worth about $241,000, and the typical rent is about $798 a month.
How educated are people in Merced, CA? About 12.5% of adults age 25 and over in Merced, CA hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Merced, CA? About 21.8% of people in Merced, CA live below the federal poverty line.
Has Merced, CA grown since 1990? Yes, Merced, CA has grown since 1990. The population has added about 77,390 residents, a change of about 43 percent over that period.
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