Population 290,201 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Merced County
Household size in Merced County
| Period | Merced County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.44 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.44 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.40 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.43 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Merced County is a place of big households: 3.43 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Of California's 58 counties, only five have larger households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Merced County
| Period | Merced County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.3 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 31.1 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 31.9 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 32.5 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.2 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 32.5, Merced County is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young families with children. The median age has climbed from 30.3 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only one other California county is younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Merced County
| Period | Merced County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.6% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.1% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 18.3% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 18.3% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Merced County: 18.3% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is up 0.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Few California counties have a higher share of single-parent households: only two of 58.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Merced County
Renters in Merced County
| Period | Merced County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.1% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 47.3% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 47.8% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 46.0% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Merced County than nationally: 46.0% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 36.5% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 1.9 points, as it has nationally. Of California's 58 counties, only four have a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Merced County
| Period | Merced County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.8% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.5% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.2 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Merced County: 6.5% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Vacancy is down 6.2 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Merced County has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of California counties.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Merced County
| Period | Merced County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1982 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1987 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Merced County is younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1987, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1982 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the east.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Merced County
| Period | Merced County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $916 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $960 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,098 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,488 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$572 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Merced County costs $1,488 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $572 a month since 2006–10, up 62%, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 32.6% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northwest; the highest are in the southwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Merced County
Bachelor's degrees in Merced County
| Period | Merced County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.1% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.1% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.2% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Merced County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 15.2%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 2.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only three of California's 58 counties have a lower share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Merced County
| Period | Merced County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 67.1% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 68.0% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 69.3% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 71.7% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly three in ten adults in Merced County never finished high school, well above the national share: only 71.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 4.6 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only one other California county has a lower share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Merced County
| Period | Merced County | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.8% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 17.5% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.2% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.4% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Merced County: 10.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Only four of California's 58 counties have higher unemployment. Unemployment has fallen 3.4 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Merced County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merced County | 3.43 | 32.5 | 18.3% | 46.0% | 6.5% | 1987 | $1,488 | 15.2% | 71.7% | 10.4% |
| Santa Clara County | 2.95 | 39.5 | 8.8% | 44.9% | 6.4% | 1976 | $2,907 | 56.5% | 89.1% | 4.9% |
| Inyo County | 2.35 | 45.1 | 10.2% | 33.6% | 14.3% | 1975 | $1,428 | 30.0% | 93.3% | 2.7% |
| Washington County | 2.88 | 40.4 | 6.5% | 28.4% | 13.7% | 2002 | $1,750 | 35.5% | 94.7% | 3.5% |
| Kane County | 2.31 | 43.4 | 4.9% | 19.6% | 24.2% | 1993 | $1,083 | 28.7% | 93.4% | 2.6% |
| Montezuma County | 2.37 | 45.9 | 10.2% | 23.8% | 9.5% | 1984 | $1,029 | 32.0% | 91.2% | 3.7% |
| La Plata County | 2.27 | 43.0 | 6.7% | 29.1% | 13.6% | 1991 | $1,421 | 48.9% | 96.4% | 3.9% |
| Archuleta County | 2.36 | 51.2 | 5.4% | 19.9% | 36.4% | 1996 | $1,433 | 39.4% | 95.8% | 1.1% |
| Conejos County | 2.41 | 40.3 | 7.5% | 23.5% | 17.1% | 1981 | $781 | 26.6% | 91.1% | 4.0% |
| Costilla County | 2.21 | 52.1 | 10.6% | 21.0% | 32.4% | 1981 | $891 | 24.3% | 90.1% | 3.3% |
| Las Animas County | 2.11 | 47.2 | 9.6% | 31.4% | 18.7% | 1969 | $991 | 20.4% | 90.6% | 5.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Oneida County, NY · Luzerne County, PA · Marion County, FL · McLennan County, TX · Muscogee County, GA · New Hanover County, NC · New London County, CT · Norfolk City, VA · Northampton County, PA · Nueces County, TX
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Merced County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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