Merced County, California Housing Market Prices
Merced County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 47% below the California median Cheaper than 75% of counties in California$343,279
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Median rent 34% below the California median$1,342
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Merced County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $343,279 | $650,794 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 8.6% | 8.9% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,342 | $2,036 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.4% | 5.8% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Merced County is about 47% lower than in California. Rent is about 34% lower than the California average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Merced County, up about 8.6% and 5.4% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Merced County rose about 53.9% between 2015 and 2024, from $872 to $1,342. Over the same span, rent in California rose about 62.2%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 5.2 yearly household incomes in Merced County.
Buying the median-priced home in Merced County costs roughly 21.3 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Merced County. The price-to-rent ratio in California is about 26.6.
| Metric | Merced County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $343,279 | $650,794 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $66,042 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 5.2 | 6.6 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Merced County rose about 159.3%, while median household income rose about 44.9% between 2009 and 2025 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Merced County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 51.1% | 51.7% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 43.6% | 40.8% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 5.3% | 7.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 14.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2012 | 2011 | 2011 |
Merced County has a homeownership rate of 51.1%, lower than the California average of 51.7%. Its housing vacancy rate is 5.3%, compared with 7.5% in California.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Merced County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 3.33 people | 2.84 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1985 | 1975 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.5 | 5.0 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Merced County was built around 1985. On average, 3.3 people live in a home with about 5.5 rooms, staying for about 14.0 years on average.
Merced County, CA Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Merced County, CA is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 290,118 residents against a local median of 161,170. Where Merced County, CA breaks from the counties next to it is median home price, sitting 24% below the local median of $451,701 at $343,279.
Homeownership tells the same story from another angle: 54.0% against a local median of 67.5%, 20% below it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is homeownership, and at 20% below the local median it puts Merced County, CA at the weaker end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $575,370 on median home price, so Merced County, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Merced County, CA has the 5th highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merced County, CA | 290,118 | $343,279 #5/6 | $1,342 #5/6 | 54.0% #6/6 |
| Stanislaus County, CA | 553,305 | $451,701 | $1,622 | 61.2% |
| San Benito County, CA | 67,290 | $653,703 | $1,991 | 67.9% |
| Mariposa County, CA | 17,082 | $78,333 | $1,305 | 74.7% |
| San Joaquin County, CA | 797,313 | $526,211 | $1,733 | 62.0% |
| Madera County, CA | 161,170 | $403,165 | $1,390 | 67.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Merced County, California.
What is the median home price in Merced County, California?
The median home price in Merced County, California is $343,279, lower than the California average of $650,794.
What is the average home price in Merced County, California?
The typical home price in Merced County, California, reported as the median sale price, is $343,279. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Merced County, California?
The median gross rent in Merced County, California is $1,342 per month, lower than the California average of $2,036.
What was the median gross rent in Merced County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Merced County, California was $1,054 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Merced County, California?
The price-to-rent ratio in Merced County, California is about 21.3, meaning it would take roughly 21.3 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Merced County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Merced County, California?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Merced County, up about 8.6% and 5.4% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Merced County, California?
51.1% of households in Merced County, California own their home, lower than the California average of 51.7%.
What is the vacancy rate in Merced County, California?
The housing vacancy rate in Merced County, California is 5.3%, lower than the California average of 7.5%.
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