Merced, CA

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2021 Population

279,150

2.01% 1-year growth

US Senator

Dianne Feinstein

Democratic Party

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

31.3

0.321% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

19.4%

3.21% 1-year increase

2021 Median Household Income

$58,861

4.49% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$288,400

7.29% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

108,194

1.06% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Merced, CA had a population of 279k people with a median age of 31.3 and a median household income of $58,861. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Merced, CA grew from 273,661 to 279,150, a 2.01% increase and its median household income grew from $56,330 to $58,861, a 4.49% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Merced, CA are Other (Hispanic) (33.5%), White (Non-Hispanic) (25.9%), White (Hispanic) (20.2%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (7.31%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (6.16%).

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.

84.5% of the residents in Merced, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Merced, CA are Merced College (2,930 degrees awarded in 2021), University of California-Merced (2,074 degrees), and Milan Institute-Merced (168 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Merced, CA was $288,400, and the homeownership rate was 51.6%.

Most people in Merced, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 30.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Merced, CA was 2 cars per household.

Merced, CA borders Fresno, CA, Madera, CA, Modesto, CA, and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA.

About the photo: Merced Wildlife Refuge

Photo by Linda Tanner

United States California

Population & Diversity

Merced, CA is home to a population of 279k people, from which 84.5% are citizens. As of 2021, 26.8% of Merced, CA residents were born outside of the country (74.7k people).

In 2021, there were 1.29 times more Other (Hispanic) residents (93.5k people) in Merced, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 72.4k White (Non-Hispanic) and 56.5k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

84.5%

2021 Citizenship

84.3%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 84.5% of Merced, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Merced, CA was 84.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Merced, CA

Other (Hispanic)
93.5k ± 3.45k
White (Non-Hispanic)
72.4k ± 195
White (Hispanic)
56.5k ± 3.44k

61.2%

Hispanic Population

171k people

61.2% of the people in Merced, CA are hispanic (171k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Merced, CA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

Mexico
3,959,545 ± 46,338 people
Philippines
828,655 ± 22,113 people
China
680,942 ± 20,084 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 3,959,545 California residents, followed by Philippines with 828,655 and China with 680,942.

Foreign-Born Population

26.8%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

74.7k people

27.1%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

74.3k people

As of 2021, 26.8% of Merced, CA residents (74.7k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Merced, CA was 27.1%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
3,204 ± 363
Gulf War (2001-)
1,642 ± 327
Gulf War (1990s)
1,008 ± 201

Merced, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.95 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Merced, CA employs 108k people. The largest industries in Merced, CA are Health Care & Social Assistance (12,341 people), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (12,253 people), and Retail Trade (11,804 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($111,488), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($76,676), and Utilities ($68,354).

Males in California have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $69,050. The income inequality in California (measured using the Gini index) is 0.497, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

108k

2021 Value

± 2,813

1.06%

1 Year growth

± 3.65%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Merced, CA grew at a rate of 1.06%, from 107k employees to 108k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Merced, CA, are Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (10,542 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (10,390 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (8,629 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Merced, CA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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

108k

2021 Value

± 2,813

1.06%

1 Year growth

± 3.65%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Merced, CA grew at a rate of 1.06%, from 107k employees to 108k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Merced, CA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (12,341 people), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (12,253 people), and Retail Trade (11,804 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.

Median Earnings by Industry

$39,381

Median earning men ± $1,253

$26,665

Median earning women ± $602

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Public Administration ($72,606), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($62,599), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($50,314).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Information ($57,679), Public Administration ($43,467), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($41,446).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in California. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

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

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

1,518
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
729
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
666
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$1.56M
Manufacturing
$765k
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$282k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

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

In 2020, the top outbound California product (by dollars) was Electronics with $405B, followed by Mixed freight ($159B) and Pharmaceuticals ($155B).

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

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for California.

$2.21T

2020 Value in California

$4.61T

Projected 2050 Value in California

109% growth

In 2020, total outbound California trade was $2.21T. This is expected to increase 109% to $4.61T by 2050.

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

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

Texas
$84.4B
Arizona
$44.8B
Ohio
$40.6B

In 2020, the top outbound California domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Texas with $84.4B, followed by Arizona with $44.8B and Ohio and $40.6B.

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

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 63.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (34.3%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.07%).

Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla 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

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Merced, CA. Showing the available data for California.

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (63.5%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (34.3%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.07%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 63.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (34.3%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.07%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in California for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from California

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Dianne Feinstein

Senator from California

Assumed office on November 10, 1992
Elected to the seat to succeed John Seymour (California politician)|John Seymour, who had been appointed to the seat after Pete Wilson was elected Governor of California.

Alex Padilla

Senator from California

Assumed office on January 18, 2021
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Kamala Harris, who had become Vice President of the United States.

Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla 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.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from California

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for California have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Merced, CA awarded 5,244 degrees. The student population of Merced, CA in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 8,037 male students and 10,714 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Merced, CA are Hispanic or Latino (2,888 and 57.6%), followed by White (756 and 15.1%), Asian (650 and 13%), and Unknown (378 and 7.54%).

The largest universities in Merced, CA by number of degrees awarded are Merced College (2,930 and 55.9%), University of California-Merced (2,074 and 39.5%), and Milan Institute-Merced (168 and 3.2%).

The most popular majors in Merced, CA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (914 and 17.4%), General Psychology (698 and 13.3%), and General Biological Sciences (381 and 7.27%).

The median tuition cost in Merced, CA for a public four year colleges is $11,442 for in-state students and $41,196 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Merced, CA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 86.6%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 10%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 18,751 (42.9% men and 57.1% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 18,751 students enrolled in Merced, CA, 42.9% men and 57.1% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 10,959 records, of which 60.5% were women and 39.5% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Biological Sciences
360 degree-majors awarded
General Psychology
310 degree-majors awarded
General Business Administration & Management
208 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Merced, CA was General Biological Sciences with 360 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Merced College
2,930 degrees awarded
University of California-Merced
2,074 degrees awarded
Milan Institute-Merced
168 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Merced College with 2,930 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 1,998 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Merced, CA, which is 0.616 times less than the 3,246 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Hispanic or Latino students. These 2,888 degrees mean that there were 3.82 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 756 degrees awarded.

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.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($11,442) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,215) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($1,971) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2021, 1.89% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 2.12% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were Some college (7.01M), High School or Equivalent (6.74M), and Bachelors Degree (6.25M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Merced, CA was $288,400 in 2021, which is 1.18 times larger than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $268,800 to $288,400, a 7.29% increase. The homeownership rate in Merced, CA is 51.6%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Merced, CA have an average commute time of 30.2 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.

Median household income in Merced, CA is $58,861. In 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Merced, CA was Santa Clara County, CA with a value of $140,258, followed by San Mateo County, CA and Marin County, CA, with respective values of $136,837 and $131,008.

Housing

Property

$288,400

Median Property Value 2021

±$5,646

$42,146

Median Property Taxes

±$1,635

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 $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Merced, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

51.6%

Homeownership

2021

68.1%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 51.6% of the housing units in Merced, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 52.2%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Merced, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Merced, CA was Santa Clara County, CA with a value of $140,258, followed by San Mateo County, CA and Marin County, CA, with respective values of $136,837 and $131,008.

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

Household Income

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

$58,861

Median Household Income

± $1,698

81.6k

Number of Households

± 2,307

In 2021, the median household income of the 81.6k households in Merced, CA grew to $58,861 from the previous year's value of $56,330.

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.

Wage Distribution

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

0.497

2021 Wage GINI in California

0.498

2020 Wage GINI in California

In 2021, the income inequality in California was 0.497 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.12% decline from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.478. 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.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (78.9%)
Carpooled (9.15%)
Worked At Home (4.6%)

In 2021, 78.9% of workers in Merced, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.15%) and those who worked at home (4.6%).

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.

Commute Time

30.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Merced, CA have a longer commute time (30.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 9.52% 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.

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.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

19.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Merced, CA (52.8k out of 273k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Males 6 - 11 and then Females 6 - 11.

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.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

91.2% of the population of Merced, CA has health coverage, with 35.5% on employee plans, 38.3% on Medicaid, 5.92% on Medicare, 10.8% on non-group plans, and 0.714% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in California see 1240 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.12% decrease from the previous year (1254 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1132 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 244 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

1,240 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in California

Primary care physicians in California see an average of 1,240 patients per year. This represents a 1.12% decrease from the previous year (1,254 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in California in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 31.9% under 18 years, 23.5% between 18 and 34 years, 33.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 11.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.5% were men and 50.5% were women.

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

Uninsured People

8.76%

Uninsured

35.5%

Employer Coverage

38.3%

Medicaid

5.92%

Medicare

10.8%

Non-Group

0.714%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Merced, CA grew by 9.78% from 7.98% to 8.76%.

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.