Merced, CA

Census Place

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2022 Population

87,686

1.97% 1-year growth

2022 Median Age

29.9

1.01% 1-year increase

2022 Poverty Rate

25.2%

5.39% 1-year decrease

2022 Median Household Income

$59,233

13.2% 1-year growth

2022 Median Property Value

$322,600

20.1% 1-year growth

2022 Employed Population

34,529

4.47% 1-year growth

About

In 2022, Merced, CA had a population of 87.7k people with a median age of 29.9 and a median household income of $59,233. Between 2021 and 2022 the population of Merced, CA grew from 85,993 to 87,686, a 1.97% increase and its median household income grew from $52,305 to $59,233, a 13.2% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Merced, CA are Other (Hispanic) (35.4%), White (Non-Hispanic) (23.1%), White (Hispanic) (15%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (9.99%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (7.5%).

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.

86.9% of the residents in Merced, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Merced, CA are Merced College (2,892 degrees awarded in 2022), Milan Institute-Merced (138 degrees), and Sierra College of Beauty (136 degrees).

In 2022, the median property value in Merced, CA was $322,600, and the homeownership rate was 43.3%.

Most people in Merced, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 27 minutes. The average car ownership in Merced, CA was 2 cars per household.

United States

Population & Diversity

Merced, CA is home to a population of 87.7k people, from which 86.9% are citizens. As of 2022, 23.2% of Merced, CA residents were born outside of the country (20.4k people).

In 2022, there were 1.53 times more Other (Hispanic) residents (31.1k people) in Merced, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 20.3k White (Non-Hispanic) and 13.1k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

86.9%

2022 Citizenship

87%

2021 Citizenship

As of 2022, 86.9% of Merced, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.5%. In 2021, the percentage of US citizens in Merced, CA was 87%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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)
31.1k ± 2.26k
White (Non-Hispanic)
20.3k ± 1.49k
White (Hispanic)
13.1k ± 1.55k

59.1%

Hispanic Population

51.8k people

59.1% of the people in Merced, CA are hispanic (51.8k 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 Place level, so we are showing data for California.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
3,899,021 ± 46,015 people
Philippines
824,230 ± 22,055 people
China
685,370 ± 20,148 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 3,899,021 California residents, followed by Philippines with 824,230 and China with 685,370.

Foreign-Born Population

23.2%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

20.4k people

23.2%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

20k people

As of 2022, 23.2% of Merced, CA residents (20.4k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.6%. In 2021, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Merced, CA was 23.2%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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
960 ± 209
Gulf War (2001-)
614 ± 217
Gulf War (1990s)
276 ± 112

Merced, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.56 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Merced, CA employs 34.5k people. The largest industries in Merced, CA are Health Care & Social Assistance (4,535 people), Educational Services (4,172 people), and Retail Trade (3,933 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($61,563), Public Administration ($55,980), and Finance & Insurance ($53,977).

Males in California have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $75,777. The income inequality in California (measured using the Gini index) is 0.498, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

34.5k

2022 Value

± 1,586

4.47%

1 Year growth

± 6.35%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Merced, CA grew at a rate of 4.47%, from 33.1k employees to 34.5k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Merced, CA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (3,664 people), Sales & Related Occupations (3,144 people), and Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (2,710 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 the United States (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

34.5k

2022 Value

± 1,586

4.47%

1 Year growth

± 6.35%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Merced, CA grew at a rate of 4.47%, from 33.1k employees to 34.5k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Merced, CA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (4,535 people), Educational Services (4,172 people), and Retail Trade (3,933 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

$40,234

Median earning men ± $3,017

$32,513

Median earning women ± $2,241

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2022 are Public Administration ($67,450), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($62,188), and Wholesale Trade ($52,245).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2022 are Construction ($67,923), Public Administration ($47,314), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($44,312).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Vermont, Oregon, Colorado, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 51.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (46.9%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.18%).

are the senators currently representing the state of the United States. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming is currently represented by 435 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 Vermont, Oregon, Colorado, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (51.2%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (46.9%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.18%)
Libertarian and Independent Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Vermont, Oregon, Colorado, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from the United States

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

Senator from N/AN/A

N/AN/A
N/A
N/AN/A
N/A

are the senators currently representing the United States.

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 the United States over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming have changed over time starting in 2008.

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Education

In 2022, universities in Merced, CA awarded 3,166 degrees. The student population of Merced, CA in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 4,117 male students and 6,492 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Merced, CA are Hispanic or Latino (1,889 and 60.4%), followed by White (497 and 15.9%), Asian (271 and 8.66%), and Unknown (267 and 8.54%).

The largest universities in Merced, CA by number of degrees awarded are Merced College (2,892 and 91.3%), Milan Institute-Merced (138 and 4.36%), and Sierra College of Beauty (136 and 4.3%).

The most popular majors in Merced, CA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (812 and 25.6%), General Psychology (367 and 11.6%), and General Social Sciences (227 and 7.17%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2022 there were 10,609 students enrolled in Merced, CA, 38.8% men and 61.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 6,936 records, of which 63.2% were women and 36.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
99 degrees awarded
General Psychology
367 degrees awarded
General Social Sciences
227 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Merced, CA was General Business Administration & Management with 99 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Merced College
2,892 degrees awarded
Milan Institute-Merced
138 degrees awarded
Sierra College of Beauty
136 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Merced College with 2,892 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2022, 1,015 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Merced, CA, which is 0.472 times less than the 2,151 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Hispanic or Latino students. These 1,889 degrees mean that there were 3.8 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 497 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

Public, 2-year ($1,104) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($90) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($1,125) 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 2022, 2.08% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 2.26% 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 2022 were Some college (6.9M), High School or Equivalent (6.8M), and Bachelors Degree (6.36M).

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 $322,600 in 2022, which is 1.14 times larger than the national average of $281,900. Between 2021 and 2022 the median property value increased from $268,600 to $322,600, a 20.1% increase. The homeownership rate in Merced, CA is 43.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.8%.

People in Merced, CA have an average commute time of 27 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 $59,233. In 2022, the place with the highest median household income in Merced, CA was Census Tract 11.01 with a value of $88,092, followed by Census Tract 12 and Census Tract 15.01, with respective values of $70,957 and $68,571.

Housing

Property

$322,600

Median Property Value 2022

±$10,012

$11,717

Median Property Taxes

±$851

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 $3k+ range.

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

Rent vs Own

43.3%

Homeownership

2022

68.8%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2022

In 2022, 43.3% of the housing units in Merced, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 41.9%.

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)

Census Tract 11.01
Census Tract 12
Census Tract 15.01

In 2022, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Merced, CA was Census Tract 11.01 with a value of $88,092, followed by Census Tract 12 and Census Tract 15.01, with respective values of $70,957 and $68,571.

The following map shows all of the places 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.

$59,233

Median Household Income

± $3,268

27.1k

Number of Households

± 1,336

In 2022, the median household income of the 27.1k households in Merced, CA grew to $59,233 from the previous year's value of $52,305.

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.

0.498

2022 Wage GINI in California

0.497

2021 Wage GINI in California

In 2022, the income inequality in California was 0.498 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.107% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less 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 2022

Drove Alone (77.1%)
Other (6.75%)
Worked At Home (6.37%)

In 2022, 77.1% of workers in Merced, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who used some unspecified means to get work (6.75%) and those who worked at home (6.37%).

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

27 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Merced, CA have a longer commute time (27 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.7 minutes). Additionally, 5.87% 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

25.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Merced, CA (21.8k out of 86.7k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

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

91.1% of the population of Merced, CA has health coverage, with 33.2% on employee plans, 41.8% on Medicaid, 5.14% on Medicare, 10.2% on non-group plans, and 0.81% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Merced County, CA see 2270 patients per year on average, which represents a 2.21% increase from the previous year (2221 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2221 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 429 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Merced County, CA.

2,270 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Merced County, CA

Primary care physicians in Merced County, CA see an average of 2,270 patients per year. This represents a 2.21% increase from the previous year (2,221 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.

Health Care Diversity

In 2022, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 30.5% under 18 years, 27.8% between 18 and 34 years, 31.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 10.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.8% were men and 52.2% were women.

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

Uninsured People

8.86%

Uninsured

33.2%

Employer Coverage

41.8%

Medicaid

5.14%

Medicare

10.2%

Non-Group

0.81%

Military or VA

Between 2021 and 2022, the percent of uninsured citizens in Merced, CA grew by 5.08% from 8.43% to 8.86%.

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.

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