Merced, CA
Census place 0646898 · pop 91,953
Billed as the 'Gateway to Yosemite' and home to UC Merced, the newest University of California campus.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
9.9% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
791 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
35 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
45.9% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
23.9% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
17.1% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
2889 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
33.1% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
19.6% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
52 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
29 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
20.2% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.47 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
95/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$63,122 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$372,600 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
14.6% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$1,916/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
33.7% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
94.1% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.70% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+11.2% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
Frequently asked
- Is Merced, CA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Merced scores 25/100 — a F (Bad) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is population growth (5yr) and its weakest is unemployment rate. California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Merced, CA?
- Merced reports 791 violent crimes per 100k and 2889 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Merced, CA expensive to live in?
- Merced has a median home value of $372,600 and typical rent around $1,916/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Merced, CA?
- Its weakest measured area is unemployment rate (9.9%) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
- What is Merced, CA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is population growth (5yr) (+11.2%) — 83/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Billed as the 'Gateway to Yosemite' and home to UC Merced, the newest University of California campus.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.