Merced County, California Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 23rd-largest in California

The population of Merced County, California is 285,597 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 23rd-largest county in California. The median household income is $65,044, the median home value is $368,400, and the median age is 31.8.

The population of Merced County has grown 15.6% since 2010 (256,709 → 296,774), a +1.04% annualized rate.

Merced County within California · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

285,597

Population

+1.04%

Annual growth

147

People / sq mi

$65,044

Median Income

$368,400

Median Home Value

Merced County covers 1,938 sq mi of land at 147.4 people per square mile.

About Merced County, CA

Merced County is a county in California with a population of 285,597. It ranks #23 among counties in California by population. The median age is 31.8, younger than the national median. The population is 50.7% male and 49.3% female.

The median household income in Merced County is $65,044, below the US median of $74,580. 15.2% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $368,400, with monthly rent averaging $1,284. The homeownership rate of 53.3% is lower than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Merced County reflects 14.8% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 6.4% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 31.0 minutes each way.

Merced County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Merced County had a population of 256,709 in 2010 and 296,774 in 2024, a 15.6% growth over 14 years. The peak was 296,774 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 1.04%.

296,774

Population (2024)

256,709

Population (2010)

296,774

Peak (2024)

1.04%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	256,709	-	-	estimate
2011	259,249	+2,540	+0.99%	estimate
2012	260,776	+1,527	+0.59%	estimate
2013	261,888	+1,112	+0.43%	estimate
2014	264,241	+2,353	+0.90%	estimate
2015	266,133	+1,892	+0.72%	estimate
2016	267,370	+1,237	+0.46%	estimate
2017	270,837	+3,467	+1.30%	estimate
2018	273,733	+2,896	+1.07%	estimate
2019	277,114	+3,381	+1.24%	estimate
2020	282,963	+5,849	+2.11%	estimate
2021	284,834	+1,871	+0.66%	estimate
2022	292,034	+7,200	+2.53%	estimate
2023	294,402	+2,368	+0.81%	estimate
2024	296,774	+2,372	+0.81%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	36.0%
Black or African American	2.9%
Asian	0.2%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	3.0%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

31.8

Median Age

49.3%

Female

50.7%

Male

11.6%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

7.2%

5–9

8.1%

10–14

8.7%

15–19

8.8%

20–24

7.3%

25–34

14.6%

35–44

12.8%

45–54

11.0%

55–59

5.3%

60–64

4.7%

65–74

7.0%

75–84

3.3%

85+

1.3%

Children (under 15): 24.0% · Seniors (65+): 11.6%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$65,044$-31,290 vs state
Mean household income	$87,129
Per-capita income	$27,711
Poverty rate	15.2%+6.8% vs state
Unemployment rate	6.3%
Employment-to-population	52.5%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

21.8%

Manufacturing

10.5%

Agriculture

10.5%

Construction

8.5%

Education & health care

7.9%

Retail trade

7.4%

Finance & real estate

6.8%

Arts, entertainment & food

4.4%

The largest employment sector in Merced County is professional & business services, accounting for 21.8% of workers.

How residents commute

0.4%

Drive alone

2.4%

Carpool

76.8%

Public transit

6.4%

Work from home

31.0 min

Avg commute

Housing

$368,400$-327,000 vs state

Median home value

$1,284

Median rent

53.3%

Homeownership rate

89,610

Total housing units

94.4%

Occupied

5.6%

Vacant

46.7%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

91.0%

With health insurance

91.7%

With broadband internet

7.6%

Foreign-born

4.0%

Veterans (18+)

12.8%

With a disability

47.1%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

71.9%

High School+

14.8%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in California

Los Angeles (3,857,897)San Diego (1,385,061)San Jose (990,054)San Francisco (836,321)Fresno (543,615)Sacramento (524,802)Long Beach (458,491)Oakland (438,072)Bakersfield (408,366)Anaheim (344,553)All California cities →

Other counties in California

Los Angeles County (9,848,406)San Diego County (3,282,782)Orange County (3,164,063)Riverside County (2,449,909)San Bernardino County (2,187,816)Santa Clara County (1,903,297)Alameda County (1,651,949)Sacramento County (1,584,047)Contra Costa County (1,161,458)Fresno County (1,012,152)All California counties →

Part of California

California demographic profile All California data →

Metro areas in California

Los Angeles (13,012,469)San Francisco (4,653,593)Riverside (4,637,725)San Diego (3,282,782)Sacramento (2,406,563)San Jose (1,969,353)Fresno (1,170,942)Bakersfield (910,433)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Merced County, California has a population of 285,597 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 23rd-largest county in California. Population density is 147 people per square mile.

The population of Merced County has grown 15.6% since 2010 (256,709 → 296,774), a +1.04% annualized rate.

The median household income in Merced County, California is $65,044, with mean (average) household income of $87,129 and per-capita income of $27,711. 15.2% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Merced County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (36.0%), Hispanic or Latino (3.0%), Black or African American (2.9%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Merced County, California is 31.8 years. Residents are 49.3% female and 50.7% male.

The median home value in Merced County is $368,400 and median monthly rent is $1,284. 53.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 89,610 total housing units, 5.6% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Merced County, California is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 21.8% of workers. The unemployment rate is 6.3%.

Los Angeles is among the largest cities associated with Merced County, California, with a population of 3,857,897.