Merced County, California Income Statistics
Merced County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Merced County Well below averageAmong the 5 least wealthy counties in California
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Merced County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $66,042 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $50,357 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.1% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.1% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 7.2% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Merced County is about 33% lower than in California. Income has been growing slower in Merced County (5.1%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Merced County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Merced County, California grew by 49.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $66,042 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Merced County
| Metric | Merced County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.597 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $55,516 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $47,370 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 14.7% | 12.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Merced County, it is 0.597, higher than California's 0.572, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 17% more than women's income in Merced County, California. Over a 35-year career, a 17% wage gap accumulates to roughly $285,110 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Merced County, California has narrowed from about 22% to 15% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 12% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $695 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Merced County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 10.5% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.6% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 13,560 people are unemployed in Merced County, California.
The average commute time in Merced County is 20 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Merced County, California has fallen from 15.2% to 10.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 17.9% in 2013.
Merced County, CA Wealth 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 unemployment, sitting 40% above the local median of 7.6% at 10.5%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $66,042 against a local median of $82,225, 20% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Merced County, CA reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 4.7% on unemployment, so Merced County, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Merced County, CA has the 6th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merced County, CA | 290,118 | $66,042 #6/6 | 5.1%/yr #5/6 | 10.5% #6/6 | 0.597 #5/6 |
| Stanislaus County, CA | 553,305 | $82,225 | 5.9%/yr | 8.0% | 0.576 |
| San Benito County, CA | 67,290 | $115,991 | 5.8%/yr | 5.4% | 0.536 |
| Mariposa County, CA | 17,082 | $69,143 | 4.5%/yr | 6.0% | 0.523 |
| San Joaquin County, CA | 797,313 | $93,025 | 6.7%/yr | 7.6% | 0.581 |
| Madera County, CA | 161,170 | $76,645 | 6.7%/yr | 10.1% | 0.608 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Merced County, California has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than California, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Merced County, California.
How Rich Is Merced County, California?
Merced County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $66,042, about 33% lower than the California average of $99,161.
Are incomes growing in Merced County, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Merced County, California rose 50%, from $44,081 to $66,042. Over the same years, income here lagged behind California as a whole: +50% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Merced County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Merced County, California was $65,014, about the same as in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Merced County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Merced County, California was $56,699. By 2024 it had risen 16% to $66,042.
How strong is the job market in Merced County, California?
Unemployment in Merced County, California is 10.5%, well above the California rate of 6.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Merced County, California?
The Gini coefficient in Merced County is 0.597. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Merced County, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Merced County, California has narrowed from about 22% to 15% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 12% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $695 since 2009.
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