What it's like to live in Merced
Merced is a smaller city in California with a population that has grown fast since 2020. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Merced deals with unemployment above the national average, household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, and commute times longer than most cities.
The good
- Fast-growing population
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- Low college degree attainment
How Merced compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Merced
Based on Merced's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,786
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $55,720 a year
- 53% of Merced renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$74,520
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $37,260
- Homes cost 5.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,393/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,393 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $372,600. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $372,600 · 53% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 93% above US
8.3% unemployment
Unemployment here is 8.3%, well above the national average of 4.3%. Moving with a job already lined up matters more here.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 112% above US
700 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 2508/100k · Merced Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 10% above US
29 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 28.6 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 93°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 37°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 44% below US
20% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 20%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
32 public schools inside the boundary
There are 32 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 22:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Yosemite National Park (62 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Merced's strongest point is a population that has grown fast since 2020; the main tradeoffs are unemployment above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,393/mo) equals 26% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up and anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Merced
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