Merced County, California Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Merced County is located in California with a total population of 290,201. It is the 23rd most populous county out of 58 in California. The county encompasses 25 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Merced County is 31.8 years. This is 16% lower than the state median of 37.9 years. With 28.7% of the population under 18, Merced County has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Merced County is $65,510. This is 34% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 19% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 19.1%. This is 59% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 10.6%. This is 60% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $391,800. Housing costs are 47% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 6.0x. 54.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% lower than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Merced County is Hispanic or Latino, making up 63.4% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 23.2%. The Black or African American population (2.6%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (63.4% vs 40.2%). The Asian population (7.1%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.

Education

15.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 59% lower than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 72.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Merced County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against California and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.