Jobs, pay and daily life in Merced, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Merced is a city in California with 91,953 residents. The median household earns $63,122 a year and the median rent is $1,393 a month, which is 26.5% of the median household income. It is part of the Merced, CA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 79,510 jobs.
How Merced compares. Among the 145 places in California, Merced is #87 by population, #2 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #144 for household income (#1 = highest), #129 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Merced County, is #46 of 58 counties for average pay ($54,952).
Merced has 91,953 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of California. It covers 23 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 3,956 people per square mile. The median age is 30.0, 21% younger than the state median (30.0 against 37.9).
The median gross rent is $1,393 a month (rent plus utilities), 32% below the state median ($1,393 against $2,036). Over a year that is 26.5% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $372,600, which is 5.9 times the median household income ($63,122); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 45.9% of households own their home, 18% below the state average (45.9% against 55.9%).
The Merced, CA metropolitan area has 79,510 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $47,220 a year, 7% below the national median ($47,220 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are educational instruction and library (8,950 jobs, median $71,210); transportation and material moving (8,360 jobs, median $43,480); office and administrative support (7,130 jobs, median $49,490). The area is most specialised in educational instruction and library (1.9 times) and healthcare support (1.7 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are educational instruction and library ($71,210) and office and administrative support ($49,490). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Merced County was 8.1%. 61.3% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Merced County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 73.6% drive alone, 0.8% use public transit, 1.4% walk, 8.4% work from home. 20.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 4% above the state average (20.2% against 19.4%).
20.2% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 46% below the state share (20.2% against 37.1%). 22.1% of residents were born outside the United States, 18% below the state share (22.1% against 27.0%). The poverty rate is 23.9%, 99% above the state rate (23.9% against 12.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 83°F (28.4°C), and the coolest is Dec at 48°F (8.9°C). About 444 mm (17 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (91 mm) and Jul the driest (1 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Modesto (37 miles, rent 21% higher); Fresno (52 miles, similar rent); Manteca (53 miles, rent 48% higher); Clovis (55 miles, rent 29% higher). Rent differences are against Merced; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in California (1,717) →State guide: CaliforniaCountry guideMerced CountyCalifornia rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,717 federal postings open in California (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in California →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 4,990 | 2.27 | $34,320 | $34,320 | $36,190 | -4% |
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | 3,820 | 28.13 | $36,350 | $34,350 | $51,920 | +2% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,500 | 1.27 | $38,200 | $34,600 | $45,460 | +22% |
| Cashiers | 2,250 | 1.43 | $35,340 | $34,320 | $43,380 | +7% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 1,950 | 2.69 | $44,680 | $36,780 | $55,890 | +21% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,710 | 1.62 | $55,630 | $36,470 | $83,810 | -5% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,560 | 2.19 | $100,120 | $74,520 | $129,410 | +57% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,480 | 0.74 | $37,740 | $34,320 | $48,060 | +7% |
| Substitute Teachers, Short-Term | 1,450 | 5.42 | $60,770 | $47,150 | $71,210 | +46% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,400 | 0.97 | $38,080 | $34,930 | $49,440 | +2% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,250 | 0.99 | $46,830 | $35,380 | $62,660 | +4% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,240 | 1.10 | $45,920 | $34,700 | $58,400 | +25% |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | 1,160 | 4.05 | $34,320 | $34,320 | $39,840 | -5% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,130 | 0.75 | $41,890 | $34,320 | $58,880 | +4% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,050 | 0.61 | $131,620 | $95,070 | $165,580 | +35% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,020 | 0.57 | $94,990 | $51,470 | $203,140 | -10% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 1,020 | 1.87 | $99,600 | $63,910 | $123,960 | +38% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 930 | 1.19 | $56,700 | $36,400 | $78,310 | +14% |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | 720 | 1.82 | $44,520 | $35,770 | $62,660 | -4% |
| Medical Assistants | 700 | 1.68 | $39,800 | $35,600 | $50,510 | -13% |
These figures are for the whole Merced, CA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $47,220 (US $50,980); unemployment 8.1% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 28.0% |
| Retail trade | 10.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.4% |
| Construction | 7.4% |
| Manufacturing | 7.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.1% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 7.0% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 6.7% |
| Public administration | 5.3% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.6% |
| Other services | 3.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 3.4% |
| Information | 1.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Merced lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merced County | 290,201 | $13,282 million | $45,769 | 84,952 | 8,584 | $54,952 | +1.3% | 8.1% | 125,119 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 11,851 | 23.4% | $51,004 | 0.97 |
| Manufacturing | 9,221 | 18.2% | $65,145 | 1.32 |
| Retail trade | 8,528 | 16.8% | $37,581 | 1.01 |
| Accommodation and food services | 6,261 | 12.4% | $26,465 | 0.81 |
| Construction | 3,358 | 6.6% | $61,299 | 0.75 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,934 | 5.8% | $56,503 | 0.82 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 2,160 | 4.3% | $44,783 | 0.84 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,647 | 3.2% | $40,698 | 0.33 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,066 | 2.1% | $71,790 | 0.31 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,054 | 2.1% | $59,783 | 0.18 |
| Management of companies | 849 | 1.7% | $88,938 | 0.59 |
| Real estate and rental | 619 | 1.2% | $50,281 | 0.47 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 588 | 1.2% | $27,387 | 0.41 |
| Educational services | 291 | 0.6% | $40,187 | 0.17 |
| Information | 269 | 0.5% | $64,074 | 0.17 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 73.6% |
| Public transit | 0.8% |
| Walk | 1.4% |
| Work from home | 8.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 20.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $63,122 |
| Income per person | $27,343 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,393 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 26.5% |
| Median home value | $372,600 |
| Homeowners | 45.9% |
| Poverty rate | 23.9% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 98.3 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $47,220 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 13.30%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 30.0 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 76.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 20.2% |
| Born abroad | 22.1% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 61.3% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9.2 | 49 | 76 |
| Feb | 10.2 | 50 | 72 |
| Mar | 12.5 | 54 | 69 |
| Apr | 14.9 | 59 | 39 |
| May | 19.5 | 67 | 18 |
| Jun | 24.6 | 76 | 4 |
| Jul | 28.4 | 83 | 1 |
| Aug | 27.2 | 81 | 1 |
| Sep | 24.6 | 76 | 3 |
| Oct | 19.1 | 66 | 24 |
| Nov | 13.2 | 56 | 46 |
| Dec | 8.9 | 48 | 91 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modesto | CA | 37 mi | 219,215 | $79,891 | $1,690 |
| Fresno | CA | 52 mi | 545,970 | $70,991 | $1,421 |
| Manteca | CA | 53 mi | 89,043 | $97,055 | $2,065 |
| Clovis | CA | 55 mi | 124,725 | $99,241 | $1,792 |
| Tracy | CA | 61 mi | 96,966 | $121,119 | $2,478 |
| Gilroy | CA | 64 mi | 59,004 | $133,107 | $2,301 |
| Stockton | CA | 65 mi | 322,326 | $79,907 | $1,577 |
| Morgan Hill | CA | 65 mi | 45,425 | $163,920 | $2,474 |
| San Jose | CA | 73 mi | 990,138 | $146,427 | $2,669 |
| Livermore | CA | 75 mi | 85,522 | $160,775 | $2,677 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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91,953 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,393 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 26.5% of the median household income.
$63,122 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
8.1% (BLS county, Merced County (latest month 2026M09)).
California. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.