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Merced, California

city · Merced County

At a glance

91,953
Population
$372,600
Median home value (all homes)
23% above U.S. median
$397,570
Typical market value
Zillow, 2026-07
$1,393/mo
Median rent
3% above U.S. median
$63,122
Median household income
20% below U.S. median
28.6 min
Average commute
94.1%
Homes with broadband
26.28%
Locations with fiber available
11.3%
Unemployment

Cost of living (Clay Affordability Index)

CAI 111 — 11% above the national average. how it's computed

Housing40% above
Goods & services3% above
Utilities10% above
Taxes34% below
Insurance11% below
Commute cost53% above
For business: California is CBII band 4/5 · time to build band 5/5. See state page for the breakdown.

Living here

Colleges in town:
Milan Institute-Merced Certificates
Nearest 4-year college5 mi
Nearest community college2 mi
Nearest technical college1 mi
High school graduates76.9%
College graduates20.2%

Doing business here

Economic development contacts, most local first:

city City of Merced Economic Development
City of Merced Office of Economic Development provides information about business climate, incentives and financing, opportunity zones, and workforce training for Merced-area businesses.
city Merced County Economic Development Corp
City of Merced Office of Economic Development provides information on development opportunities, incentives, and services for businesses in Merced.
region California Central Valley Economic Development Corporation
Regional marketing group promoting job creation and investment attraction across six Central Valley counties, offering site location assistance, data, incentives information, and real estate resources.
state Governor's Office of Economic Development
The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, or GO-Biz, serves as the State of California’s leader for job growth, economic development and business assistance efforts. It offers no-cost consultation to business owners for attraction, retention and expansion services, site selection, permit streamlining, clearing of regulatory hurdles, small business assistance, international trade development, assistance with state government, and more.
state Team California
TeamCalifornia is the go-to partner for businesses, site selectors, and communities looking to succeed in California. With our extensive network, we provide direct access to the best sites, accelerate speed-to-market, and give essential resources to streamline decision-making and drive growth.
State sales taxYes
State income taxYes
Right-to-work stateNo

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