Madera, CA vs Merced, CA

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricMadera, CAMerced, CA
Population67,83191,953
Median Household Income$63,933$63,122
Median Rent$1,353/mo$1,393/mo
Median Home Value$359,900$372,600
Cost of Living (US = 100)10298
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income57.2%52.5%
Poverty Rate25.6%23.9%
Unemployment Rate8.5%8.3%
Violent Crime Rate /100k432700
Property Crime Rate /100k1,0902,508
Median AQI5050
Good AQI Days /yr184186
Summer Highs96°F93°F
Winter Lows39°F37°F
Snowfall0 in/yr0 in/yr
Avg Commute25.7 min28.6 min
Hospitals11
Avg Hospital Rating—3.0 / 5
Students per Teacher2221.9
College Degree Rate10.9%20.2%
Foreign-Born %25.6%22.1%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+4.0%+11.0%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.