Merced, California Population 2024

95,958
020K40K60K80K100K18801900192019401960198020002020YearPopulation

Merced Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Merced was:

  • Other race: 39.24%
  • White: 31.69%
  • Two or more races: 13.13%
  • Asian: 9.82%
  • Black or African American: 4.95%
  • Native American: 0.73%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.45%
Land Area (mi²)
23.3 sq mi
Density (mi²)
4,126.50/sq mi
Growth Since 2020
10.43% (9,065)
The current population of Merced, California is 95,958 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates (released May 2024). The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 86,893.

Population by Race

Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
Other race35,22139.24%
White28,44631.69%
Two or more races11,78613.13%
Asian8,8129.82%
Black or African American4,4434.95%
Native American6580.73%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander4000.45%
39.24%31.69%13.13%9.82%Race

Other race

White

Two or more races

Asian

Black or African American

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Merced Population by Race

Merced Population Pyramid 2024

010203040506070804.5K4K3.5K3K2.5K2K1.5K1K500005001K1.5K2K2.5K3K3.5K4K4.5KMaleFemale

Merced Median Age

29.8

Total

29.1

Male

30.5

Female

Merced Adults

There are 62,815 adults, (8,765 of whom are seniors) in Merced.

Merced Age Dependency

66.1

Age Dependency Ratio

16.2

Old Age Dependency Ratio

49.9

Child Dependency Ratio

Merced Sex Ratio

Female45,45550.64%
Male44,31149.36%

Merced Population by Age

Merced Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All27,4823.2244.455.6
Married10,7463.8963.136.9
Non Family7,5751.3536.363.7
Female6,2104.112377
Male2,9513.7542.557.5

3.73

Average Family Size

3.22

Average Household Size

44.4%

Rate of Home Ownership

39.1%10.74%22.6%27.56%Households by Type

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

MarriedAllMaleNon FamilyFemale00.10.20.30.40.50.60.70.80.91

owner

renter

Merced Households and Families

Less Than 9th Grade9th to 12th GradeHigh School GraduateSome CollegeAssociates DegreeBachelors DegreeGraduate Degree02K4K6K8K

Male

Female

Education Attained
Count
Percentage
9th to 12th Grade5,63910.82%
Associates Degree5,1109.81%
Bachelors Degree6,06911.65%
Graduate Degree3,2866.31%
High School Graduate13,94126.76%
Less Than 9th Grade6,23911.98%
Some College11,81022.67%
11.98%10.82%26.76%22.67%9.81%11.65%6.31%Over 25 Education

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Merced Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Merced Educational Attainment by Race

IslanderWhiteBlack2+ RacesAsianNative AmericanHispanicOther Race0%20%40%60%80%100%

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

Race
Total
High School
Bachelors
Hispanic27,12518,3822,897
Other Race18,51811,3611,608
White15,19613,9153,877
2+ Races5,8314,7671,002
Asian5,4394,2021,750
Black2,3392,076493
Native American52437685
Islander22621312

The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 94.25%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 32.18%.

Merced Educational Attainment by Race

OverallLess Than 9th GradeHigh School GraduateSome CollegeBachelors DegreeGraduate Degree$0$20,000$40,000$60,000$80,000

All

Male

Female

Name
Average
Male
Female
Bachelors Degree$67,039$69,200$66,037
Graduate Degree$77,467$88,167$73,142
High School Graduate$38,586$42,580$31,990
Less Than 9th Grade$30,437$36,147$20,881
Overall$39,733$45,162$32,951
Some College$38,674$46,808$29,624

$39,733

Average Earnings

$45,162

Average Male

$32,951

Average Female

Merced Earnings by Educational Attainment

Merced Language by Age

53.34%37.34%6.21%Languages

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Merced Language

53.34% of Merced residents speak only English, while 46.66% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 37.34% of the population.

Merced Language

Merced Poverty by Race

BlackIslanderOtherHispanicMultipleWhiteAsianNative0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%

rate

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
Hispanic51,92812,99125.02%
Other34,7558,98825.86%
White20,1353,52717.52%
Multiple11,6522,56922.05%
Black4,4161,78040.31%
Asian8,8101,30414.8%
Islander40012731.75%
Native658213.19%

22.99%

Overall Poverty Rate

20.57%

Male Poverty Rate

25.35%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Merced

The race most likely to be in poverty in Merced is Black, with 40.31% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Merced is Native, with 3.19% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.1%. Among those working part-time, it was 21.38%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 33.79%.

Merced Poverty

Less Than 9th GradeHigh SchoolSome CollegeBachelors or Greater0%2%4%6%8%10%12%14%16%18%20%22%24%26%

rate

Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade25.29%
High School19.92%
Some College15.82%
Bachelors or Greater7.7%

Merced Poverty Rate by Education

Male EmployedMale UnemployedFemale EmployedFemale Unemployed0%2%4%6%8%10%12%14%16%18%20%22%24%26%28%30%

rate

Rate
Poverty
Male Unemployed29.3%
Female Unemployed26.56%
Female Employed12.25%
Male Employed8.71%

Merced Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Merced Income by Household Type

Under10k10kTo15k15kTo25k25kTo35k35kTo50k50kTo75k75kTo100k100kTo150k150kTo200kOver200k05101520

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

Name
Median
Mean
Families$67,504$86,175
Households$59,938$81,691
Married Families$90,432$112,044
Non Families$37,765$54,816
HouseholdsFamiliesMarried FamiliesNon Families020,00040,00060,00080,000100,000120,000

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Merced Marital Status

OverallMalesFemales0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

36.8%

Overall Marriage Rate

38.9%

Male Marriage Rate

34.9%

Female Marriage Rate

Merced Married by Age and Sex

35-4445-5455-64Over 6520-3415-1901020304050607080

male

female

Merced Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.

Merced Marital Status by Race

WhiteNonHispanicWhiteIndianAsianHispanicOtherRaceTwoOrMoreRacesBlackHawaiian0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Merced Marital Status

31.53%21.64%40.37%6.16%Veterans by War

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

2,522

Number of Veterans

2,253

Male Veterans

269

Female Veterans

War
Veterans
Vietnam918
Second Gulf War717
First Gulf War492
Korea140
World War II7

Merced Veterans by War

18 to 3435 to 5455 to 6465 to 7475+050100150200250300350400450500550600650700

count

Age Group
Veterans
65 to 74653
55 to 64592
75+572
35 to 54420
18 to 34285

Merced Veterans by Age

WhiteHispanic2+ RacesOther RaceBlackAsianNative American02004006008001,0001,2001,4001,6001,800

count

Name
Veterans
% of Total
White1,6517.63%
Hispanic6371.88%
2+ Races2753.99%
Other Race2541.07%
Black2267.47%
Asian841.29%
Native American325.54%

Merced Veterans by Race

Merced Veterans by Education

31.88%46.23%19.15%Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

10.91%

Veteran Poverty Rate

39.25%

Veteran Disability Rate

Merced Veterans by Education

16 - 1920 - 2425 - 2930 - 3435 - 4445 - 5455 - 5960 - 6465 - 7475+0102030405060708090

LaborForceParticipation

61.8%

Labor Force Participation

54.2%

Employment Rate

12.3%

Unemployment Rate

Merced Employment by Age

IslanderNative AmericanAsianOther RaceHispanicWhite2+ RacesWhite Non-HispanicBlack01020304050607080

LaborForceParticipation

Merced Employment by Race

Less Than High SchoolHigh School GraduateSome CollegeBachelors or Greater0102030405060708090

LaborForceParticipation

Merced Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

12.96%83.7%Origin

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

5.49%36.17%56.57%Origin

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

69.53%

Born in Merced

77.95%

Native Born

22.05%

Foreign Born

12.09%

Non Citizen

9.96%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

77.95% of Merced residents were born in the United States, with 69.53% having been born in California. 12.09% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Merced Place of Birth

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change
Year
Population
Growth
Change
2029107,2892,2662.16%
2028105,0232,2662.21%
2027102,7572,2672.26%
2026100,4902,2662.31%
202598,2242,2662.36%
202495,9582,2662.42%
202393,6921,6041.74%
202292,0882,1342.37%
202189,9543,0613.52%
202086,8932,2152.62%
201984,6781,4581.75%
201883,2207530.91%
201782,4676010.73%
201681,8663600.44%
201581,5065730.71%
201480,9334720.59%
201380,4614260.53%
201280,0354300.54%
201179,6055080.64%
201079,09700%
200063,8937,67713.66%
199056,21619,71754.02%
198036,49913,82961%
197022,6702,60212.97%
196020,0684,79031.35%
195015,2785,14350.74%
194010,1353,06943.43%
19307,0663,09277.81%
19203,97487228.11%
19103,1021,13357.54%
19001,969-40-1.99%
18902,00956338.93%
18801,446-105,843-98.65%

Merced Population by Year