Merced, CA

Census Place

2024 Population

91,953

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

US Senator

Adam Schiff

Democratic Party

2024 Median Age

0.671% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

23.9%

3.82% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$63,122

5.31% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$372,600

Population & Diversity

Merced, CA is home to a population of 92k people, from which 87.6% are citizens.

As of 2024, 22.1% of Merced, CA residents were born outside of the country (20.3k people).

In 2024, there were 1.83 times more Other (Hispanic) residents (35.5k people) in Merced, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 19.4k White (Non-Hispanic) and 10.2k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

87.6%

2024 Citizenship

87.9%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 87.6% of Merced, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Merced, CA was 87.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Merced, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Merced, CA

Other (Hispanic)
35.5k ± 2.33k
White (Non-Hispanic)
19.4k ± 1.44k
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
10.2k ± 1.52k

60.1%

Hispanic Population

55.3k people

60.1% of the people in Merced, CA are hispanic (55.3k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Merced, CA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for California.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
3,877,888 ± 45,899 people
Philippines
827,719 ± 22,100 people
China
695,724 ± 20,296 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 3,877,888 California residents, followed by Philippines with 827,719 and China with 695,724.

Foreign-Born Population

22.1%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

20.3k people

22.1%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

19.8k people

As of 2024, 22.1% of Merced, CA residents (20.3k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Merced, CA was 22.1%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Merced, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
783 ± 205
Gulf War (2001-)
704 ± 231
Gulf War (1990s)
334 ± 130

Merced, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.11 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Merced, CA.

Economy

The economy of Merced, CA employs 36.9k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Merced, CA were Educational Services (5,261 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (5,071 people), and Retail Trade (3,862 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($63,750), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($58,407), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($56,346).

Employment

Occupations

36.9k

2024 Value

± 1,719

3.35%

1 Year growth

± 6.33%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Merced, CA grew at a rate of 3.35%, from 35.8k employees to 36.9k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Merced, CA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (4,348 people), Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (3,225 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (3,203 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Merced, CA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in California (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

36.9k

2024 Value

± 1,719

3.35%

1 Year growth

± 6.33%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Merced, CA grew at a rate of 3.35%, from 35.8k employees to 36.9k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Merced, CA, are Educational Services (5,261 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (5,071 people), and Retail Trade (3,862 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Merced, CA, though some of these residents may live in Merced, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$44,504

Median earning men ± $3,490

$33,024

Median earning women ± $2,447

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Information ($78,750), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($73,333), and Public Administration ($63,819).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($45,431), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($43,092), and Information ($41,784).

Education

The student population of Merced, CA in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 5,261 male students and 7,790 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Merced, CA are Hispanic or Latino (2,445 and 68.1%), White (586 and 16.3%), Asian (242 and 6.74%), and Two or More Races (124 and 3.45%).

The largest universities in Merced, CA by number of degrees awarded are Merced College (3,266 and 90.3%), Milan Institute-Merced (207 and 5.73%), and Sierra College of Beauty (142 and 3.93%).

The most popular majors in Merced, CA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (860 and 23.8%), General Psychology (370 and 10.2%), and General Social Sciences (188 and 5.2%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2024 there were 13,051 students enrolled in Merced, CA, 40.3% men and 59.7% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 8,656 records, of which 61.6% were women and 38.4% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Psychology
370 degrees awarded
General Social Sciences
188 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
107 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Merced, CA was General Psychology with 370 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Merced, CA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Merced College
3,266 degrees awarded
Milan Institute-Merced
207 degrees awarded
Sierra College of Beauty
142 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Merced College with 3,266 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2024, 1,372 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Merced, CA, which is 0.612 times less than the 2,243 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Hispanic or Latino students. These 2,445 degrees mean that there were 4.17 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 586 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($1,104) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

Public, 2-year ($96) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

Public, 2-year ($938) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Merced, CA was $372,600 in 2024, which is 1.12 times larger than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $347,700 to $372,600, a 7.16% increase. The homeownership rate in Merced, CA is 45.9%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Merced, CA have an average commute time of 28.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Merced, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$372,600

Median Property Value 2024

±$7,435

$12,828

Median Property Taxes

±$849

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Merced, CA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Merced, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

45.9%

Homeownership

2024

67.3%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 45.9% of the housing units in Merced, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 44.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Merced, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$63,122

Median Household Income

± $3,879

28k

Number of Households

± 1,397

In 2024, the median household income of the 28k households in Merced, CA grew to $63,122 from the previous year's value of $59,938.

The following chart displays the households in Merced, CA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Merced, CA is from California.

0.493

2024 Wage GINI in California

0.495

2023 Wage GINI in California

In 2024, the income inequality in California was 0.493 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.424% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in California in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in California across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (73.6%)
Worked At Home (8.44%)
Carpooled (8.42%)

In 2024, 73.6% of workers in Merced, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (8.44%) and those who carpooled to work (8.42%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

28.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Merced, CA have a longer commute time (28.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 6.65% of the workforce in Merced, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Merced, CA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Merced, CA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Merced, CA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

23.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Merced, CA (21.7k out of 91.1k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 6 - 11, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Merced, CA is Hispanic, followed by Other and White.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798, followed by New York (5,087).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

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