Merced, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Merced, CA Summary
Cost of living in Merced research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Merced is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in California, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Merced is 117, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Merced is 1.2x higher than the national average.
Merced ranks as the #95 cheapest in California out of 634.
Merced ranks as the #4,212 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Merced is $393,457.
The median income in Merced is $59,938.
Table Of Contents
Merced's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Merced, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Merced has an overall cost of living index of 117, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Merced has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Merced ranks as #95 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Merced ranks as the #539 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Merced, check out:
In California
In America
Merced Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Merced. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Merced is 104.
The Groceries index in Merced is 105.
The Health index in Merced is 97.
The Housing index in Merced is 129.
The Transportation index in Merced is 121.
The Utilities index in Merced is 140.
| Living Expense | Merced | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 117 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 104 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 105 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 97 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 129 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 121 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 140 | 128 | 100 | |
Merced, CA Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in California, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Merced is $393,457.
The Median Rent in Merced is $1,293.
The Median Income in Merced is $59,938.
The Home Value To Income in Merced is 6.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Merced is 0.26x.
| Statistic | Merced | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $393,457 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,293 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $59,938 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 6.6x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.26x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Merced, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Merced Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | Merced | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.56 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $14.64 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $23.78 | $18 |
| Haircut | $26.83 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $76.57 | $45.56 |
Detailed Merced Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | Merced | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.21 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $2.1 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.99 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.98 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $15.69 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.96 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.86 | $3.7 |
Detailed Merced Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | Merced | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $157.88 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $166.71 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $148.27 | $113.29 |
Detailed Merced Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | Merced | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.63 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $70.51 | $59.92 |
Detailed Merced Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | Merced | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $299.78 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $191.56 | $192.25 |
Merced SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Merced
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Merced. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Atwater, CA has a cost of living index of 115, 1.0x Merced.
Chowchilla, CA has a cost of living index of 111, 0.9x Merced.
Livingston, CA has a cost of living index of 115, 1.0x Merced.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Merced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atwater, CA | 32,013 | 115 | 1.0x |
| Chowchilla, CA | 18,876 | 111 | 0.9x |
| Livingston, CA | 14,450 | 115 | 1.0x |
| Winton, CA | 11,429 | 107 | 0.9x |
| Delhi, CA | 10,525 | 118 | 1.0x |
