Merced County, CA

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Population

272,673

1.49% growth

Median Age

31.4


Median Household Income

$47,735

0.00838% decline

Poverty Rate

23.3%


Number of Employees

103,680

3.7% growth

Median Property Value

$253,700

9.68% growth

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2017, Merced County, CA had a population of 273k people with a median age of 31.4 and a median household income of $47,735. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of Merced County, CA grew from 268,672 to 272,673, a 1.49% increase and its median household income declined from $47,739 to $47,735, a -0.00838% decrease.

The population of Merced County, CA is 59.6% Hispanic or Latino, 27.5% White Alone, and 7.64% Asian Alone. N/A% of the people in Merced County, CA speak a non-English language, and 84.3% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Merced County, CA are Merced College (1,415 degrees awarded in 2016), University of California-Merced (1,298 degrees), and Milan Institute-Merced (194 degrees).

The median property value in Merced County, CA is $253,700, and the homeownership rate is 48.8%. Most people in Merced County, CA commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 26.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Merced County, CA is 2 cars per household.

About the photo: Merced Wildlife Refuge

Photo by Linda Tanner

United StatesCaliforniaMerced, CA

Economy

The economy of Merced County, CA employs 104k people. The largest industries in Merced County, CA are Educational Services (11,974 people), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (11,490 people), and Manufacturing (11,456 people), and the highest paying industries are Finance & Insurance ($81,875), Utilities ($72,606), and Public Administration ($54,836).

Median household income in Merced County, CA is $47,735. Males in Merced County, CA have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $59,658. The income inequality in Merced County, CA (measured using the Gini index) is 0.497, which is higher than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$47,735

2017 value

± $3,086

-0.00838%

1 Year Growth

± 10.5%

Households in Merced County, CA have a median annual income of $47,735, which is less than the median annual income of $60,336 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $47,739 in 2016, which represents a -0.00838% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Merced County, CA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

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

$75,050

Average Male Salary

± $702

$59,658

Average Female Salary

± $597

In 2017, full-time male employees in Merced County, CA made 1.26 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Merced County, CA by number of full-time employees.

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Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

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

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity

  1. Asian

    $69,782 ± $1,103

  2. White

    $63,110 ± $578

  3. Two or More Races

    $51,776 ± $1,728

In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Merced County, CA workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.11 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Merced County, CA by number of full-time employees.

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Wage Distribution

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

0.497

2017 Wage GINI

0.503

2016 Wage GINI

In 2017, the income inequality in California was 0.497 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 1.1% decline from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even.

The 2017 the GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.479. 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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Income by Location

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Highest Median Household Income (Total)

  1. Census Tract 7.02

  2. Census Tract 18.01

  3. Census Tract 10.02

In 2017, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Merced County, CA was Census Tract 7.02 with a value of $96,129, followed by Census Tract 18.01 and Census Tract 10.02, with respective values of $81,216 and $63,737.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Merced County, CA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

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Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

23.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Merced County, CA (60.9k out of 261k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 13.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Males 6 - 11 and then Females 6 - 11.

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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Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

  1. Hispanic

    41,452 ± 1,446

  2. White

    32,010 ± 1,437

  3. Other

    19,341 ± 1,080

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

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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Occupations

Employment by Occupations

104k

2017 Value

± 5,613

3.7%

1 Year growth

± 7.43%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Merced County, CA grew at a rate of 3.7%, from 100k employees to 104k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Merced County, CA, are . This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Merced County, CA.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Merced County, CA, by number of employees, are .

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Merced County, CA has an unusually high number of residents working as .

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Merced County, CA, by median earnings, are Architecture & Engineering Occupations ($104,705), Law Enforcement Workers Including Supervisors ($77,232), and Life, Physical, & Social Science Occupations ($75,689).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

104k

2017 Value

± 5,613

3.7%

1 Year growth

± 7.43%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Merced County, CA grew at a rate of 3.7%, from 100k employees to 104k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Merced County, CA, are Educational Services (11,974 people), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (11,490 people), and Manufacturing (11,456 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Merced County, CA, though some of these residents may live in Merced County, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Most Common

The most common industries in Merced County, CA, by number of employees, are Educational Services (11,974 people), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (11,490 people), and Manufacturing (11,456 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Merced County, CA has an unusually high number of Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (11 times higher than expected), Wholesale Trade (1.45 times), and Utilities (1.33 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Merced County, CA, by median earnings, are Finance & Insurance ($81,875), Utilities ($72,606), and Public Administration ($54,836).

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from California to other states, or from other states to California.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

  1. Electronics

    $196B

  2. Mixed freight

    $157B

  3. Gasoline

    $127B

In 2015, the top outbound California product (by dollars) was Electronics with $196B, followed by Mixed freight with $157B and Gasoline and $127B.

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound California products.

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Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for California state.

$1.54T

2015 Value

$2.48T

Projected 2045 Value

61.2% growth

In 2015, total outbound California trade was $1.54T. This is expected to increase 61.2% to $2.48T by 2045.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound California trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

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Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from California to other states, or from other states to California.

Most Common Trade Partners

  1. Texas

    $63.1B

  2. Arizona

    $42.2B

  3. Washington

    $31.2B

In 2015, the top outbound California domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Texas with $63.1B, followed by Arizona with $42.2B and Washington and $31.2B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that California shares with each state (excluding itself).

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Health

92.5% of the population of Merced County, CA has health coverage, with 33.2% on employee plans, 42% on Medicaid, 5.92% on Medicare, 11% on non-group plans, and 0.425% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in the county of Merced County, CA was $7,549 in 2014. This is a 4.04% increase from the previous year ($7,256).

Primary care physicians in Merced County, CA see 2148 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.798% increase from the previous year (2131 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2277 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 722 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Tehama County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (10.6%). Additionally, Tulare County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (33.4%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2148 to 1

Primary Care Physicians

Primary care physicians in Merced County, CA see an average of 2148 patients per year. This represents a 0.798% increase from the previous year (2131 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Merced County, CA in comparison to neighboring states.

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Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

  1. West Virginia

    8.26% of the population affected

  2. Arkansas

    8.13% of the population affected

  3. New Hampshire

    7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

  1. Mississippi

    19.2% of adults

  2. Texas

    17.9% of adults

  3. Louisiana

    17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

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Health Care Spending

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

$7,549

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care 

$4,735

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$5,368

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$11,833

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in California (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 4.04%, from $7,256 to $7,549.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

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Health Care Coverage

7.53%

Uninsured

33.2%

Employer Coverage

42%

Medicaid

5.92%

Medicare

11%

Non-Group

0.425%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Merced County, CA grew by 15.1% from 6.54% to 7.53%.

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

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Health Risks

Data available at the county level.

Most at risk counties

  1. Tehama County

    10.6% prevalence

  2. San Joaquin County

    10.5% prevalence

  3. Alpine County

    10.3% prevalence

Tehama County has the highest prevalence of diabetes in California, at 10.6%.

The following map shows the prevalence of diabetes in California by county over multiple years.

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Diversity

Merced County, CA is home to a population of 273k people, from which 84.3% are citizens. As of 2017, 25.6% of Merced County, CA residents were born outside of the country.

The ethnic composition of the population of Merced County, CA is composed of 162k Hispanic or Latino residents (59.6%), 75.1k White Alone residents (27.5%), 20.8k Asian Alone residents (7.64%), 7.43k Black or African American Alone residents (2.73%), 5.15k Two or More Races residents (1.89%), 1.16k American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.424%), 307 Some Other Race Alone residents (0.113%), and 233 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0.0855%).

The most common foreign languages spoken in Merced County, CA are N/A.

Age

Age by Nativity

25

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.7

46

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 1.6

In 2017, the median age of all people in Merced County, CA was 31.4. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 25, were generally younger than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 46. But people in Merced County, CA are getting getting older. In 2016, the average age of all Merced County, CA residents was 31.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

25.6%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

25.6%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

As of 2017, 25.6% of Merced County, CA residents were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.7%. In 2016, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Merced County, CA was 25.6%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

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Global Diversity

Most Common Origin

  1. Mexico

    4,079,391 ± 46,960 people

  2. Philippines

    859,594 ± 22,514 people

  3. China

    683,330 ± 20,119 people

In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Merced County, CA was Mexico, the natal country of 4,079,391 Merced County, CA residents, followed by Philippines with 859,594 and China with 683,330.

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Citizenship

84.3%

2017 Citizenship

84.2%

2016 Citizenship

As of 2017, 84.3% of Merced County, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.1%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in Merced County, CA was 84.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. Hispanic or Latino

    162k ± 11.1k

  2. White Alone

    75.1k ± 363

  3. Asian Alone

    20.8k ± 1.1k

In 2017, there were 2.16 times more Hispanic or Latino residents (162k people) in Merced County, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 75.1k White Alone and 20.8k Asian Alone residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

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

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Non-English Speakers

Most Common Languages

  1. N/A

    N/A speakers (N/A%)

  2. N/A

    N/A speakers (N/A%)

  3. N/A

    N/A speakers (N/A%)

N/A% of Merced County, CA citizens are speakers of a non-English language, which is approximately the same as the national average of 21.5%. In N/A, the most common non-English language spoken in Merced County, CA was N/A. N/A% of the overall population of Merced County, CA are native N/A speakers. N/A% speak N/A and N/A% speak N/A, the next two most common languages.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    3,771 ± 939

  2. Gulf War (2001-)

    1,831 ± 670

  3. Gulf War (1990s)

    548 ± 311

Merced County, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.06 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2016, universities in Merced County, CA awarded 2,960 degrees. The student population of Merced County, CA is skewed towards women, with 8,217 male students and 10,338 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Merced County, CA are Hispanic or Latino (1,433 and 49.4%), followed by White (657 and 22.7%), Asian (498 and 17.2%), and Black or African American (124 and 4.28%).

The largest universities in Merced County, CA by number of degrees awarded are Merced College (1,415 and 47.8%), University of California-Merced (1,298 and 43.9%), and Milan Institute-Merced (194 and 6.55%).

The most popular majors in Merced County, CA are General Psychology (399 and 13.5%), General Biological Sciences (250 and 8.45%), and General Business Administration & Management (203 and 6.86%).

The median tuition costs in Merced County, CA are $N/A for private four year colleges, and $11,220 and $37,902 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

  1. General Biological Sciences

    242 degrees awarded

  2. General Psychology

    232 degrees awarded

  3. General Business Administration & Management

    125 degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Merced County, CA was General Biological Sciences with 242 degrees awarded.

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

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Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

  1. Merced College

    1,415 degrees awarded

  2. University of California-Merced

    1,298 degrees awarded

  3. Milan Institute-Merced

    194 degrees awarded

$11,220

Median In-State Public

$N/A

Median Private

In 2016, the Merced County, CA institution with the largest number of graduating students was Merced College with 1,415 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

1,178

Degrees Awarded to Men

1,782

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2016, 1,178 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Merced County, CA, which is 0.661 times less than the 1,782 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the institutions in Merced County, CA by degrees awarded.

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Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. Hispanic or Latino

    1,433 degrees awarded

  2. White

    657 degrees awarded

  3. Asian

    498 degrees awarded

In 2016 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Merced County, CA were to Hispanic or Latino students. These 1,433 degrees mean that there were 2.18 times more Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 657 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Merced County, CA was $253,700 in 2017, which is 1.17 times larger than the national average of $217,600. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $231,300 to $253,700, a 9.68% increase. The homeownership rate in Merced County, CA is 48.8%, which is lower than the national average of 63.9%. People in Merced County, CA have an average commute time of 26.2 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Merced County, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Income

Household Income

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

$47,735

Median Household Income

± $3,086

81k

Number of Households

± 4,655

In 2017, the median household income of the 81k households in Merced County, CA declined from $47,735 from the previous year's value of $47,739.

The following chart displays the households in Merced County, 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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Housing

Property Value

$253,700

2017 Median

± $11,710

$231,300

2016 Median

± $12,311

In 2017, the median property value in Merced County, CA grew to to $253,700 from the previous year's value of $231,300.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Merced County, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Merced County, CA the largest share of households have a property value in the $300k - $400k range.

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Property Taxes

$800 - $1,499

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Merced County, CA distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Merced County, CA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

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Rent vs Own

48.8%

2017 Homeownership

52.2%

2016 Homeownership

In 2017, 48.8% of the housing units in Merced County, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 52.2%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is lower than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Merced County, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Merced County, CA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Merced County, CA have 2 cars, followed by 3 cars.

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Commute Time

26.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Merced County, CA have a longer commute time (26.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.5 minutes). Additionally, 7.78% of the workforce in Merced County, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

  1. Drove Alone

    82.4%

  2. Carpooled

    7.73%

  3. Worked At Home

    3.89%

In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Merced County, CA was Drove Alone, followed by those who Carpooled and those who Worked At Home.

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