Merced County, California Population 2024

293,630

Merced County, California's estimated 2024 population is 293,630 with a growth rate of 0.59% in the past year according to the most recent United States census data. Merced County, California is the 23rd largest county in California. The 2010 population was 256,709 and has seen a growth of 14.38% since that time.

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change
Year
Population
Growth
Change
2029302,1801,7100.57%
2028300,4701,7100.57%
2027298,7601,7100.58%
2026297,0501,7100.58%
2025295,3401,7100.58%
2024293,6301,7100.59%
2023291,9201,7100.59%
2022290,2105,6001.97%
2021284,6102,7800.99%
2020281,8304,7161.7%
2019277,1143,3811.24%
2018273,7332,8961.07%
2017270,8373,4671.3%
2016267,3701,2370.46%
2015266,1331,8920.72%
2014264,2412,3530.9%
2013261,8881,1120.43%
2012260,7761,5270.59%
2011259,2492,5400.99%
2010256,70900%
1990178,40343,84332.58%
1980134,56029,93128.61%
1970104,62914,18315.68%
196090,44620,66629.62%
195069,78022,79248.51%
194046,98810,24027.87%
193036,74812,16949.51%
192024,5799,43162.26%
191015,1485,93364.38%
19009,2151,13013.98%
18908,0852,42942.95%
18805,6562,849101.5%
18702,8071,666146.01%
18601,141-301,039-99.62%
2024 Growth Rate
0.59% (1,710)
County Website
Merced County
County Seat
Merced
2020 Population
281,830
Area
1938 mi²
Density
152 people/mi²
Growth Since 2020
4.19% (11,800)

Population by Race

Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White117,49141.62%
Other race104,06736.87%
Two or more races27,6959.81%
Asian20,6017.3%
Black or African American8,3292.95%
Native American3,3111.17%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander7960.28%

White

Other race

Two or more races

Asian

Black or African American

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Merced County, California Population by Race

Merced County, California Population Pyramid 2024

Merced County, California Median Age

31.5

Total

30.9

Male

32.1

Female

Merced County, California Adults

There are 199,973 adults, (32,222 of whom are seniors) in Merced County, California.

Merced County, California Age Dependency

68.3

Age Dependency Ratio

19.2

Old Age Dependency Ratio

49.1

Child Dependency Ratio

Merced County, California Sex Ratio

Female138,77149.16%
Male143,51950.84%

Merced County, California Population by Age

Merced County, California Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All82,7603.3453.446.6
Married40,3834.0165.834.2
Non Family19,6821.344.155.9
Female14,8503.9333.766.3
Male7,8453.9349.950.1

3.81

Average Family Size

3.34

Average Household Size

53.4%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Merced County, California Households and Families

Male

Female

Education Attained
Count
Percentage
9th to 12th Grade19,84011.77%
Associates Degree12,9437.68%
Bachelors Degree17,16510.19%
Graduate Degree7,5124.46%
High School Graduate46,82627.79%
Less Than 9th Grade28,28216.78%
Some College35,93521.33%

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Merced County, California Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Merced County, California Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

Race
Total
High School
Bachelors
Hispanic93,46955,9186,977
Other Race55,83729,6153,174
White52,63646,60612,084
2+ Races15,01811,8682,226
Asian12,4919,1963,779
Black5,3834,679767
Native American2,1111,594352
Islander44740977

The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 91.5%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 30.25%.

Merced County, California Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

Name
Average
Male
Female
Bachelors Degree$56,563$59,103$52,650
Graduate Degree$83,768$102,903$78,125
High School Graduate$39,432$45,491$31,659
Less Than 9th Grade$31,660$37,651$20,432
Overall$40,086$45,879$31,216
Some College$42,170$52,798$31,887

$40,086

Average Earnings

$45,879

Average Male

$31,216

Average Female

Merced County, California Earnings by Educational Attainment

Merced County, California Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Merced County, California Language

46.46% of Merced County, California residents speak only English, while 53.54% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 44.98% of the population.

Merced County, California Language

Merced County, California Poverty by Race

rate

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
Hispanic171,66835,27220.55%
Other101,77022,48222.09%
White70,0499,05012.92%
Multiple27,3634,57516.72%
Asian20,1843,74718.56%
Black7,6172,36831.09%
Native3,20079324.78%

18.52%

Overall Poverty Rate

16.04%

Male Poverty Rate

21.06%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Merced County, California

The race most likely to be in poverty in Merced County, California is Black, with 31.09% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Merced County, California is White, with 12.92% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.55%. Among those working part-time, it was 15.98%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 26.78%.

Merced County, California Poverty

rate

Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade20.45%
High School15.83%
Some College11.56%
Bachelors or Greater6.81%

Merced County, California Poverty Rate by Education

rate

Rate
Poverty
Male Unemployed25.76%
Female Unemployed21.79%
Female Employed8.52%
Male Employed6.39%

Merced County, California Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Merced County, California Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

Name
Median
Mean
Families$70,798$92,815
Households$64,772$86,076
Married Families$84,611$112,226
Non Families$38,006$52,086

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Merced County, California Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

44.2%

Overall Marriage Rate

45.2%

Male Marriage Rate

43.2%

Female Marriage Rate

Merced County, California Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Merced County, California Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.

Merced County, California Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Merced County, California Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

8,461

Number of Veterans

7,567

Male Veterans

894

Female Veterans

War
Veterans
Vietnam3,348
Second Gulf War1,758
First Gulf War1,584
Korea648
World War II63

Merced County, California Veterans by War

count

Age Group
Veterans
65 to 742,475
75+2,124
55 to 641,672
35 to 541,576
18 to 34614

Merced County, California Veterans by Age

count

Name
Veterans
% of Total
White6,1107.03%
Hispanic2,2161.92%
2+ Races7474.18%
Other Race6380.91%
Black5939.16%
Asian1991.32%
Native American1717.05%
Islander30.58%

Merced County, California Veterans by Race

Merced County, California Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

10.26%

Veteran Poverty Rate

36.58%

Veteran Disability Rate

Merced County, California Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

59.3%

Labor Force Participation

52.8%

Employment Rate

10.7%

Unemployment Rate

Merced County, California Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Merced County, California Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Merced County, California Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

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

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

64.91%

Born in Merced County, California

73.73%

Native Born

26.27%

Foreign Born

15.42%

Non Citizen

10.85%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

73.73% of Merced County, California residents were born in the United States, with 64.91% having been born in California. 15.42% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Merced County, California Place of Birth

Sources