Merced, CA

Census Place

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2024 Population
91,953
US Senator
Alex Padilla
Democratic Party
US Senator
Adam Schiff
Democratic Party
2024 Median Age
30
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
7.16% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
36,948
3.35% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Merced, CA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

87.6% of the residents in Merced, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Merced, CA are Merced College (2,886 degrees awarded in 2023), Milan Institute-Merced (171 degrees), and Sierra College of Beauty (83 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Merced, CA was $372,600, and the homeownership rate was 45.9%.

Most people in Merced, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 28.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Merced, CA was 2 cars per household.

United StatesCaliforniaMerced County, CAMerced, CAMerced County (West & South)--Los Banos & Livingston Cities PUMA, CAMerced County (Northeast)--Merced & Atwater Cities PUMA, CA

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.

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Merced, CA
  1. Other (Hispanic)
    35.5k ± 2.33k
  2. White (Non-Hispanic)
    19.4k ± 1.44k
  3. Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
    10.2k ± 1.52k
60.1%
Hispanic Population
55.3k 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.

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.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for California.
Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    3,862,617 ± 45,816 people
  2. Philippines
    824,246 ± 22,054 people
  3. China
    687,951 ± 20,184 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 3,862,617 California residents, followed by Philippines with 824,246 and China with 687,951.

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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.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    783 ± 205
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    704 ± 231
  3. 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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).

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.
Y-Axis
2.57%
Year-over-year growth
Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 17.9M people employed in California. This represents a 2.57% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in California.

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Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Kamala Harris with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (38.3%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.25%).

Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are the senators currently representing the state of California. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Voting results are not available for Merced, CA. Showing the available data for California.
2024 Election Results
  1. Kamala Harris (58.5%)
    Democratic Party
  2. Donald J. Trump (38.3%)
    Republican Party
  3. Robert Kennedy (1.25%)
    Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Kamala Harris with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (38.3%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.25%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in California for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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Senator Elections

US Senators from California

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for California.
Alex Padilla
Senator from California3
Assumed office on January 20, 2021
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Kamala Harris, who had become Vice President of the United States.
Adam Schiff
Senator from California1
Assumed office on December 8, 2024
Elected to the seat to succeed Laphonza Butler, who had been appointed to the seat following the death of Dianne Feinstein.

Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are the senators currently representing California.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in California over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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Education

In 2023, universities in Merced, CA awarded 3,140 degrees. The student population of Merced, CA in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 4,953 male students and 7,435 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Merced, CA are Hispanic or Latino (2,065 and 66.2%), White (515 and 16.5%), Asian (216 and 6.93%), and Unknown (118 and 3.78%).

The largest universities in Merced, CA by number of degrees awarded are Merced College (2,886 and 91.9%), Milan Institute-Merced (171 and 5.45%), and Sierra College of Beauty (83 and 2.64%).

The most popular majors in Merced, CA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (747 and 23.8%), General Psychology (328 and 10.4%), and General Social Sciences (188 and 5.99%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 12,388 students enrolled in Merced, CA, 40% men and 60% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 8,201 records, of which 61.5% were women and 38.5% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. General Psychology
    328 degrees awarded
  2. General Social Sciences
    188 degrees awarded
  3. General Business Administration & Management
    100 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Merced, CA was General Psychology with 328 degrees awarded.

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

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Universities

Gender
Race
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
  1. Merced College
    2,886 degrees awarded
  2. Milan Institute-Merced
    171 degrees awarded
  3. Sierra College of Beauty
    83 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Merced College with 2,886 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

In 2023, 1,195 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Merced, CA, which is 0.614 times less than the 1,945 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Hispanic or Latino students. These 2,065 degrees mean that there were 4.01 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 515 degrees awarded.

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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.

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Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($1,104) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($90) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($1,152) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Merced, CA is from California.
0.495
2023 Wage GINI in California
0.498
2022 Wage GINI in California

In 2023, the income inequality in California was 0.495 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.573% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.476. 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.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024
  1. Drove Alone (73.6%)
  2. Worked At Home (8.44%)
  3. 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Health

92.4% of the population of Merced, CA has health coverage, with 35.2% on employee plans, 41.2% on Medicaid, 5.39% on Medicare, 9.77% on non-group plans, and 0.845% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in California see 1,233 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,233 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1076 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 213 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.8% were men and 50.2% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 31.6% under 18 years, 26.9% between 18 and 34 years, 31.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 10.3% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.8% were men and 50.2% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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Uninsured People

7.59%
Uninsured
35.2%
Employer Coverage
41.2%
Medicaid
5.39%
Medicare
9.77%
Non-Group
0.845%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Merced, CA declined by 7.27% from 8.19% to 7.59%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Merced, CA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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