Merced County, CA

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Population

274,765

0.767% growth

Poverty Rate

23.3%


Median Age

31.4


Median Household Income

$57,745

21% growth

Number of Employees

111,737

7.77% growth

Median Property Value

$261,100

2.92% growth

About

COVID-19

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2018, Merced County, CA had a population of 275k people with a median age of 31.4 and a median household income of $57,745. Between 2017 and 2018 the population of Merced County, CA grew from 272,673 to 274,765, a 0.767% increase and its median household income grew from $47,735 to $57,745, a 21% increase.

The population of Merced County, CA is 60.2% Hispanic or Latino, 27.1% White Alone, and 7.15% Asian Alone. N/A% of the people in Merced County, CA speak a non-English language, and 82.8% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Merced County, CA are Merced College (1,556 degrees awarded in 2017), University of California-Merced (1,410 degrees), and Milan Institute-Merced (199 degrees).

The median property value in Merced County, CA is $261,100, and the homeownership rate is 53.1%. Most people in Merced County, CA commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 28.4 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

COVID-19

Total Confirmed Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for California.

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases by date in California compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Impact on Employment

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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Community Mobility

Showing data at the state level for California.

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of California across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Economy

The economy of Merced County, CA employs 112k people. The largest industries in Merced County, CA are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (14,470 people), Manufacturing (13,899 people), and Retail Trade (12,354 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($66,645), Information ($55,726), and Public Administration ($55,356).

Median household income in Merced County, CA is $57,745. Males in Merced County, CA have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $62,298. The income inequality in Merced County, CA (measured using the Gini index) is 0.499, which is higher than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$57,745

2018 value

± $3,382

21%

1 Year Growth

± 7.21%

Households in Merced County, CA have a median annual income of $57,745, which is less than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $47,735 in 2017, which represents a 21% annual growth.

The following chart shows how the median household income in Merced County, CA compares to that of its 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 California.

$78,575

Average Male Salary

± $755

$62,298

Average Female Salary

± $633

In 2018, full-time male employees in California made 1.26 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in California 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 California.

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity

  1. Asian

    $73,860 ± $1,174

  2. White

    $65,115 ± $611

  3. Two or More Races

    $54,912 ± $1,843

In 2018 the highest paid race/ethnicity of California workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.13 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 California by number of full-time employees.

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Wage Distribution

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

0.499

2018 Wage GINI

0.497

2017 Wage GINI

In 2018, the income inequality in California was 0.499 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.324% growth from 2017 to 2018, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even.

The 2018 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 26

In 2017, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Merced County, CA was Census Tract 7.02 with a value of $107,019, followed by Census Tract 18.01 and Census Tract 26, with respective values of $85,769 and $70,143.

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 13.1%. 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

112k

2018 Value

± 6,222

7.77%

1 Year growth

± 7.27%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Merced County, CA grew at a rate of 7.77%, from 104k employees to 112k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Merced County, CA, are Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (12,230 people), Production Occupations (9,409 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (8,537 people). 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 Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (12,230 people), Production Occupations (9,409 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (8,537 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Merced County, CA has an unusually high number of residents working as Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (17.8 times higher than expected), Material Moving Occupations (1.8 times), and Production Occupations (1.54 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Merced County, CA, by median earnings, are Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners & Other Technical Occupations ($101,987), Healthcare Practitioners & Technical Occupations ($85,519), and Law Enforcement Workers Including Supervisors ($70,625).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

112k

2018 Value

± 6,222

7.77%

1 Year growth

± 7.27%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Merced County, CA grew at a rate of 7.77%, from 104k employees to 112k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Merced County, CA, are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (14,470 people), Manufacturing (13,899 people), and Retail Trade (12,354 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 Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (14,470 people), Manufacturing (13,899 people), and Retail Trade (12,354 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Merced County, CA has an unusually high number of Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (11.7 times higher than expected), Wholesale Trade (1.41 times), and Manufacturing (1.28 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Merced County, CA, by median earnings, are Utilities ($66,645), Information ($55,726), and Public Administration ($55,356).

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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

    $232B

  2. Mixed freight

    $172B

  3. Gasoline

    $136B

In 2015, the top outbound California product (by dollars) was Electronics with $232B, followed by Mixed freight ($172B) and Gasoline ($136B).

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.

$1.7T

2020 Value

$2.48T

Projected 2045 Value

46.3% growth

In 2020, total outbound California trade was $1.7T. This is expected to increase 46.3% 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

    $71.8B

  2. Arizona

    $46.9B

  3. Washington

    $34B

In 2015, the top outbound California domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Texas with $71.8B, followed by Arizona with $46.9B and Washington and $34B.

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

2,148 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio

Primary care physicians in Merced County, CA see an average of 2,148 patients per year. This represents a 0.798% increase from the previous year (2,131 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 its neighboring geographies.

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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 275k people, from which 82.8% are citizens. As of 2017, 25.6% of Merced County, CA residents were born outside of the country (69.7k people).

The ethnic composition of the population of Merced County, CA is composed of 165k Hispanic or Latino residents (60.2%), 74.3k White Alone residents (27.1%), 19.7k Asian Alone residents (7.15%), 8.1k Black or African American Alone residents (2.95%), 5.12k Two or More Races residents (1.86%), 1.09k Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0.398%), 677 American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.246%), and 346 Some Other Race Alone residents (0.126%).

Age

Age by Nativity

24

Median Native-Born Age

± 1

45

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 1.4

In 2018, the median age of all people in Merced County, CA was 31.4. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 24, were generally younger than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 45. But people in Merced County, CA are getting staying the same age. In 2017, 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

69.7k people

25.6%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

68.7k people

As of 2017, 25.6% of Merced County, CA residents (69.7k people) 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

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

Most Common Origin

  1. Mexico

    4,032,642 ± 46,722 people

  2. Philippines

    840,765 ± 22,271 people

  3. China

    696,409 ± 20,307 people

In 2018, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 4,032,642 California residents, followed by Philippines with 840,765 and China with 696,409.

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Citizenship

82.8%

2018 Citizenship

84.3%

2017 Citizenship

As of 2018, 82.8% of Merced County, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2017, the percentage of US citizens in Merced County, CA was 84.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

    165k ± 9.88k

  2. White Alone

    74.3k ± 402

  3. Asian Alone

    19.7k ± 1.78k

In 2018, there were 2.23 times more Hispanic or Latino residents (165k people) in Merced County, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 74.3k White Alone and 19.7k 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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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    2,806 ± 756

  2. Gulf War (2001-)

    1,333 ± 602

  3. Gulf War (1990s)

    1,191 ± 799

Merced County, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.11 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2017, universities in Merced County, CA awarded 3,216 degrees. The student population of Merced County, CA is skewed towards women, with 8,557 male students and 10,712 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Merced County, CA are Hispanic or Latino (1,675 and 53.8%), followed by White (650 and 20.9%), Asian (535 and 17.2%), and Black or African American (100 and 3.21%).

The largest universities in Merced County, CA by number of degrees awarded are Merced College (1,556 and 48.4%), University of California-Merced (1,410 and 43.8%), and Milan Institute-Merced (199 and 6.19%).

The most popular majors in Merced County, CA are General Psychology (398 and 12.4%), General Biological Sciences (300 and 9.33%), and Liberal Arts & Sciences (280 and 8.71%).

The median tuition costs in Merced County, CA are $N/A for private four year colleges, and $11,502 and $39,516 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

  1. General Biological Sciences

    293 degrees awarded

  2. General Psychology

    227 degrees awarded

  3. General Business Administration & Management

    145 degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Merced County, CA was General Biological Sciences with 293 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

    1,556 degrees awarded

  2. University of California-Merced

    1,410 degrees awarded

  3. Milan Institute-Merced

    199 degrees awarded

$11,502

Median In-State Public

$N/A

Median Private

In 2017, the Merced County, CA institution with the largest number of graduating students was Merced College with 1,556 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

1,272

Degrees Awarded to Men

1,944

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2017, 1,272 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Merced County, CA, which is 0.654 times less than the 1,944 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

    1,675 degrees awarded

  2. White

    650 degrees awarded

  3. Asian

    535 degrees awarded

In 2017 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Merced County, CA were to Hispanic or Latino students. These 1,675 degrees mean that there were 2.58 times more Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 650 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Merced County, CA was $261,100 in 2018, which is 1.14 times larger than the national average of $229,700. Between 2017 and 2018 the median property value increased from $253,700 to $261,100, a 2.92% increase. The homeownership rate in Merced County, CA is 53.1%, which is lower than the national average of 63.9%. People in Merced County, CA have an average commute time of 28.4 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.

Housing

Property Value

$261,100

2018 Median

± $9,867

$253,700

2017 Median

± $11,710

In 2018, the median property value in Merced County, CA grew to to $261,100 from the previous year's value of $253,700.

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 $250k - $300k range.

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Household Income

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

$57,745

Median Household Income

± $3,382

79.5k

Number of Households

± 4,328

In 2018, the median household income of the 79.5k households in Merced County, CA grew to $57,745 from the previous year's value of $47,735.

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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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

53.1%

2018 Homeownership

48.8%

2017 Homeownership

In 2018, 53.1% of the housing units in Merced County, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 48.8%.

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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Commute Time

28.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Merced County, CA have a longer commute time (28.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.7 minutes). Additionally, 8.69% 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

    79.1%

  2. Carpooled

    9.68%

  3. Other

    5.31%

In 2018, the most common method of travel for workers in Merced County, CA was Drove Alone (79.1%), followed by those who Carpooled (9.68%) and those who Other (5.31%).

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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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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