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Merced County, California#Metropolitan Statistical Area

{{short description|County in California, United States}}

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Merced County, California

| official_name = County of Merced

| native_name =

| other_name =

| settlement_type = County

| image_caption =

| image_flag =

| image_seal = Seal of Merced County, California.png

| image_shield =

| image_blank_emblem =

| blank_emblem_type =

| blank_emblem_size =

| image_map = {{Maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-width=250|frame-align=center|type=shape|fill=#ffffff|fill-opacity=0|stroke-width=3}}

| map_caption = Interactive map of Merced County

| image_map1 = Map of California highlighting Merced County.svg

| mapsize1 = 200px

| map_caption1 = Location in the state of California

| coordinates = {{coord|37.19|-120.71|type:adm2nd_region:US-CA_source:UScensus1990|display=inline,title}}

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = United States

| subdivision_type1 = State

| subdivision_name1 = California

| subdivision_type2 = Region

| subdivision_name2 = San Joaquin Valley

| established_title = Incorporated

| established_date = April 19, 1855{{Cite GNIS|277288|Merced County|access-date=January 31, 2015}}

| named_for = Merced River, originally El Río de Nuestra Señora de la Merced ("River of Our Lady of Mercy" in Spanish).

| seat_type = County seat

| seat = Merced

| seat1_type = Largest city

| seat1 = Merced

| unit_pref = US

| area_total_sq_mi = 1979

| area_land_sq_mi = 1935

| area_water_sq_mi = 44

| elevation_min_ft =

| government_type = Council–CEO

| governing_body = Board of Supervisors

| leader_title1 = Chair

| leader_name1 = Josh Pedrozo

| leader_title2 = Vice Chair

| leader_name2 = Daron McDaniel

| leader_title3 = Board of Supervisors{{cite web | url=https://www.countyofmerced.com/248/Board-Members | title=Board Members | Merced County, CA - Official Website }}

| leader_name3 = {{Collapsible list

| title = Supervisors

| frame_style = border:none; padding:0;

| list_style = text-align:left;

| 1 = Jim Pacheco

| 2 = Josh Pedrozo

| 3 = Daron McDaniel

| 4 = Lloyd Pareira, Jr

| 5 = Scott Silveira

}}

| leader_title4 = Chief executive officer

| leader_name4 = Raul Lomeli Mendez

| elevation_max_footnotes = {{Cite web|url=http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=1222|title=Laveaga Peak|publisher=Peakbagger.com|access-date=January 31, 2015}}

| elevation_min_footnotes =

| population_total = 281202

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_footnotes =

| population_density_sq_mi = auto

| population_est =

| pop_est_as_of =

| pop_est_footnotes =

| demographics_type2 = GDP

| demographics2_footnotes = {{Cite web|title=Gross Domestic Product: All Industries in Merced County, CA |url=https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/GDPALL06047|work=Federal Reserve Economic Data |publisher=Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis}}

|demographics2_title1 = Total

|demographics2_info1 = $11.560 billion (2022)

| postal_code_type = ZIP code

| postal_code = 93620, 93635, 93661, 93665, 95301, 95303, 95312, 95315, 95317, 95322, 95324, 95333, 95334, 95388, 95340, 95341, 95343, 95344, 95348, 95365, 95369, 95374{{cite web|url=http://www.zip-codes.com/county/CA-MERCED.asp|title=Merced County, CA Zip Codes|publisher=Zip-Codes.com|access-date=May 29, 2016}}

| area_code = 209

| area_code_type = Area code

| blank_name_sec1 = FIPS code

| blank_info_sec1 = 06-047

| blank1_name_sec1 = GNIS feature ID

| blank1_info_sec1 = {{GNIS 4|277288}}

| blank2_name_sec1 = Congressional district

| blank2_info_sec1 = 13th

| website = {{URL|www.co.merced.ca.us}}

| footnotes =

| image_skyline = {{Photomontage

| photo1a = Merced Theatre.JPG{{!}}

| photo1b = Banks of San Luis Reservoir in July 2021 redux.JPG{{!}}

| photo2a = UC Merced at night.jpg{{!}}

| photo2b = Boeing B-29 SuperfortressCAM.jpg{{!}}

| spacing = 1

| size = 300

| foot_montage = Images, from top down, left to right: The historic Merced Theatre, San Luis Reservoir, UC Merced, The B-29A Super Fortress exhibit at the Castle Air Museum in Atwater

}}

| image_size =

| elevation_max_ft = 3801

| timezone = Pacific Time Zone

| utc_offset = −8

| timezone_DST = Pacific Daylight Time

| utc_offset_DST = −7

}}

Merced County ({{IPAc-en|audio=En-us-merced.ogg|m|ər|ˈ|s|ɛ|d}} {{respell|mər|SED|'}}) is a county located in the northern San Joaquin Valley section of the Central Valley, in the U.S. state of California.

As of the 2020 census, the population was 281,202.{{Cite web|title=Merced County, California|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US06047|website=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=January 30, 2022}} The county seat is Merced.{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}} The county is named after the Merced River.

Merced County comprises the Merced, California Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Modesto-Merced, California Combined Statistical Area. It is located north of Fresno County and Fresno, and southeast of Santa Clara County and San Jose.

History

The county derives its name from the Merced River, or El Río de Nuestra Señora de la Merced (River of Our Lady of Mercy), named in 1806 by an expedition headed by Gabriel Moraga, which came upon it at the end of a hot dusty ride on the El Camino Viejo across the San Joaquin Valley in Spanish colonial Las Californias Province.

Between 1841 and 1844, during the period when Alta California was a territory of independent Mexico, four Mexican land grants were made in what became Merced County: Rancho Orestimba y Las Garzas, Rancho Panoche de San Juan y Los Carrisolitos, Rancho San Luis Gonzaga, and Rancho Sanjon de Santa Rita

Merced County was formed in 1855 from parts of Mariposa County. Parts of its territory were given to Fresno County in 1856.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|1979|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|1935|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|44|sqmi}} (2.2%) is water.{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_06.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 28, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}

=National protected areas=

Demographics

{{US Census population

| 1860 = 1141

| 1870 = 2807

| 1880 = 5656

| 1890 = 8085

| 1900 = 9215

| 1910 = 15148

| 1920 = 24579

| 1930 = 36748

| 1940 = 46988

| 1950 = 69780

| 1960 = 90446

| 1970 = 104629

| 1980 = 134560

| 1990 = 178403

| 2000 = 210554

| 2010 = 255793

| 2020 = 281202

|estyear=2024

|estimate=296774

|estref={{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2024|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 9, 2025}}

| align-fn = center

| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing from 1790-2000|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=January 24, 2022}}
1790–1960{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=September 28, 2015}} 1900–1990{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ca190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 27, 1995|access-date=September 28, 2015}}
1990–2000{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=September 28, 2015}} 2010 2020

}}

=2020 census=

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Merced County, California – Racial and ethnic composition
{{nobold|Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.}}

!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)

!Pop 1980{{Cite web |title=California: 1980, General Social and Economic Characteristics, Part 1 - Table 59: Persons by Race, Hispanic Origin, and Sex|website=United States Census Bureau|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_caCs1-01.pdf|access-date=}}

!Pop 1990{{Cite web |title=California: 1990, Part 1 - Table 5: Race and Hispanic Origin|website=United States Census Bureau|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1990/cp-1/cp-1-6-1.pdf |access-date=July 14, 2024}}

!Pop 2000{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Merced County, California|url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=050XX00US06047&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }}

!Pop 2010{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Merced County, California|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US06047&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }}

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" | Pop 2020{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Merced County, California|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US06047&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }}

!% 1980

!% 1990

!% 2000

!% 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020

White alone (NH)

|89,006

|96,701

|85,585

|81,599

|style='background: #ffffe6; |68,729

|66.15%

|54.20%

|40.65%

|31.90%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |24.44%

Black or African American alone (NH)

|6,618

|7,889

|7,594

|8,785

|style='background: #ffffe6; |8,191

|4.92%

|4.42%

|3.61%

|3.43%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.91%

Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|1,091

|1,135

|1,115

|1,126

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,164

|0.81%

|0.64%

|0.53%

|0.44%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.41%

Asian alone (NH)

|2,891

|14,109

|14,041

|18,183

|style='background: #ffffe6; |19,824

|2.15%

|7.91%

|6.67%

|7.11%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |7.05%

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census

|x included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census

|281

|476

|style='background: #ffffe6; |617

|0.13%

|0.19%

|0.13%

|0.19%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.22%

Other race alone (NH)

|900

|462

|410

|439

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,242

|2.68%

|0.26%

|0.19%

|0.17%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.44%

Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|x not an option in the 1980 Census

|x not an option in the 1990 Census

|6,062

|4,700

|style='background: #ffffe6; |7,578

|x

|x

|2.88%

|1.84%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.69%

Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|34,054

|58,107

|95,466

|140,485

|style='background: #ffffe6; |173,857

|25.31%

|32.57%

|45.34%

|54.92%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |61.83%

Total

|134,560

|178,403

|210,554

|255,793

|style='background: #ffffe6; |281,202

|100.00%

|100.00%

|100.00%

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

= 2011 =

class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
colspan=6 | Population, race, and income
scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Total populationU.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B02001. [https://www.census.gov U.S. Census website]. Retrieved October 26, 2013.

| colspan=2 | 253,606

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |   White

| 170,229

| 67.1%

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |   Black or African American

| 9,837

| 3.9%

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |   American Indian or Alaska Native

| 2,617

| 1.0%

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |   Asian

| 18,904

| 7.5%

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |   Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

| 517

| 0.2%

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |   Some other race

| 43,893

| 17.3%

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |   Two or more races

| 7,609

| 3.0%

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |  Hispanic or Latino (of any race)U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B03003. [https://www.census.gov U.S. Census website]. Retrieved October 26, 2013.

| 137,974

| 54.4%

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Per capita incomeU.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19301. [https://www.census.gov U.S. Census website]. Retrieved October 21, 2013.

| colspan=2 | $18,304

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Median household incomeU.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19013. [https://www.census.gov U.S. Census website]. Retrieved October 21, 2013.

| colspan=2 | $43,945

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Median family incomeU.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19113. [https://www.census.gov U.S. Census website]. Retrieved October 21, 2013.

| colspan=2 | $48,429

== Places by population, race, and income ==

class="wikitable collapsible collapsed sortable" style="width: 100%;"
colspan=9 | Places by population and race
Place

! TypeU.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. [https://www.census.gov U.S. Census website]. Retrieved October 21, 2013.

! data-sort-type="number" | Population

! data-sort-type="number" | White

! data-sort-type="number" | Other
Other = Some other race + Two or more races

! data-sort-type="number" | Asian

! data-sort-type="number" | Black or African
American

! data-sort-type="number" | Native American
Native American = Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander + American Indian or Alaska Native

! data-sort-type="number" | Hispanic or Latino
(of any race)

AtwaterCity27,92266.0%21.6%7.0%4.3%1.1%49.2%
BallicoCDP38472.1%24.7%1.6%0.0%1.6%49.2%
Bear CreekCDP18844.7%55.3%0.0%0.0%0.0%89.4%
CresseyCDP61457.0%42.3%0.7%0.0%0.0%63.7%
DelhiCDP9,89259.0%28.9%7.1%2.2%2.8%67.8%
Dos PalosCity4,94079.6%18.1%0.0%2.0%0.3%66.5%
Dos Palos YCDP20777.3%22.7%0.0%0.0%0.0%65.2%
El NidoCDP29744.1%55.9%0.0%0.0%0.0%72.4%
FranklinCDP5,76671.4%14.8%6.6%2.5%4.7%56.4%
GustineCity5,48485.8%13.2%0.3%0.0%0.6%56.1%
Hilmar-IrwinCDP5,22495.1%3.6%1.0%0.2%0.0%9.2%
Le GrandCDP1,89351.8%47.4%0.0%0.0%0.8%88.4%
LivingstonCity12,89948.0%32.8%17.5%0.9%0.9%71.5%
Los BanosCity35,25281.0%11.3%3.3%3.9%0.5%67.4%
McSwainCDP4,04182.8%8.8%6.7%0.3%1.4%20.6%
MercedCity78,11156.1%24.1%11.4%6.8%1.7%49.6%
PlanadaCDP4,36652.3%44.2%1.2%1.6%0.8%96.2%
Santa NellaCDP1,29284.1%12.0%0.0%3.9%0.0%70.4%
SnellingCDP97100.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%3.1%
South Dos PalosCDP2,14488.9%10.0%0.0%1.1%0.0%94.1%
StevinsonCDP13253.8%46.2%0.0%0.0%0.0%46.2%
TuttleCDP21100.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%
University of California, MercedCDP00.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%
VoltaCDP126100.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%55.6%
WintonCDP11,74261.2%28.4%8.2%1.6%0.7%74.5%

=2010 census=

The 2010 United States census reported that Merced County had a population of 255,793. The racial makeup of Merced County was 148,381 (58.0%) White, 9,926 (3.9%) African American, 3,473 (1.4%) Native American, 18,836 (7.4%) Asian, 583 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 62,665 (24.5%) from other races, and 11,929 (4.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 140,485 persons (54.9%).{{USCensus2010CA}}

class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
colspan=10|Population reported at 2010 United States census
style="text-align:center;"|The Countystyle="text-align:center;"|Total
Population		style="text-align:center;"|Whitestyle="text-align:center;"|African
American		style="text-align:center;"| Native
American		style="text-align:center;"| Asianstyle="text-align:center;"| Pacific
Islander		style="text-align:center;"| other
races		style="text-align:center;"| two or
more races		style="text-align:center;"|Hispanic
or Latino
(of any race)
Merced County

|align="right"|255,793

align="right"|148,381align="right"|9,926align="right"|3,473align="right"|18,836align="right"|583align="right"|62,665align="right"|11,929align="right"|140,485
style="text-align:center;"|Incorporated
city		style="text-align:center;"|Total
Population		style="text-align:center;"|Whitestyle="text-align:center;"|African
American		style="text-align:center;"| Native
American		style="text-align:center;"| Asianstyle="text-align:center;"| Pacific
Islander		style="text-align:center;"| other
races		style="text-align:center;"| two or
more races		style="text-align:center;"|Hispanic
or Latino
(of any race)
Atwater

|align="right"|28,168

align="right"|18,410align="right"|1,225align="right"|364align="right"|1,416align="right"|76align="right"|5,300align="right"|1,377align="right"|14,808
Dos Palos

|align="right"|4,950

align="right"|3,377align="right"|167align="right"|62align="right"|37align="right"|4align="right"|1,075align="right"|228align="right"|3,075
Gustine

|align="right"|5,520

align="right"|3,875align="right"|73align="right"|54align="right"|95align="right"|8align="right"|1,191align="right"|224align="right"|2,769
Livingston

|align="right"|13,058

align="right"|5,263align="right"|106align="right"|348align="right"|2,223align="right"|18align="right"|4,547align="right"|553align="right"|9,547
Los Banos

|align="right"|35,972

align="right"|20,846align="right"|1,354align="right"|512align="right"|1,162align="right"|134align="right"|10,123align="right"|1,841align="right"|23,346
Merced

|align="right"|78,958

align="right"|41,177align="right"|4,958align="right"|1,153align="right"|9,342align="right"|174align="right"|17,804align="right"|4,350align="right"|39,140
style="text-align:center;"|Census-designated
place		style="text-align:center;"|Total
Population		style="text-align:center;"|Whitestyle="text-align:center;"|African
American		style="text-align:center;"| Native
American		style="text-align:center;"| Asianstyle="text-align:center;"| Pacific
Islander		style="text-align:center;"| other
races		style="text-align:center;"| two or
more races		style="text-align:center;"|Hispanic
or Latino
(of any race)
Ballico

|align="right"|406

align="right"|237align="right"|2align="right"|3align="right"|11align="right"|2align="right"|128align="right"|23align="right"|210
Bear Creek

|align="right"|290

align="right"|156align="right"|4align="right"|2align="right"|14align="right"|0align="right"|93align="right"|21align="right"|170
Cressey

|align="right"|394

align="right"|253align="right"|1align="right"|3align="right"|15align="right"|1align="right"|95align="right"|26align="right"|195
Delhi

|align="right"|10,755

align="right"|5,655align="right"|118align="right"|157align="right"|405align="right"|30align="right"|3,930align="right"|460align="right"|7,706
Dos Palos Y

|align="right"|323

align="right"|225align="right"|1align="right"|8align="right"|1align="right"|0align="right"|82align="right"|6align="right"|197
El Nido

|align="right"|330

align="right"|162align="right"|0align="right"|7align="right"|9align="right"|0align="right"|147align="right"|5align="right"|245
Franklin

|align="right"|6,149

align="right"|3,455align="right"|273align="right"|77align="right"|931align="right"|12align="right"|1,072align="right"|329align="right"|3,250
Hilmar-Irwin

|align="right"|5,197

align="right"|4,475align="right"|15align="right"|23align="right"|87align="right"|1align="right"|439align="right"|157align="right"|916
Le Grand

|align="right"|1,659

align="right"|869align="right"|19align="right"|35align="right"|17align="right"|1align="right"|659align="right"|59align="right"|1,357
McSwain

|align="right"|4,171

align="right"|3,196align="right"|56align="right"|34align="right"|282align="right"|9align="right"|422align="right"|172align="right"|1,081
Planada

|align="right"|4,584

align="right"|1,681align="right"|22align="right"|23align="right"|46align="right"|1align="right"|2,725align="right"|86align="right"|4,347
Santa Nella

|align="right"|1,380

align="right"|832align="right"|22align="right"|25align="right"|31align="right"|0align="right"|433align="right"|37align="right"|968
Snelling

|align="right"|231

align="right"|206align="right"|0align="right"|3align="right"|6align="right"|0align="right"|13align="right"|3align="right"|33
South Dos Palos

|align="right"|1,620

align="right"|809align="right"|135align="right"|21align="right"|36align="right"|10align="right"|552align="right"|57align="right"|1,262
Stevinson

|align="right"|313

align="right"|228align="right"|4align="right"|0align="right"|0align="right"|0align="right"|73align="right"|8align="right"|133
Tuttle

|align="right"|103

align="right"|77align="right"|6align="right"|0align="right"|6align="right"|0align="right"|9align="right"|5align="right"|31
University of California, Merced

|align="right"|0

align="right"|0align="right"|0align="right"|0align="right"|0align="right"|0align="right"|0align="right"|0align="right"|0
Volta

|align="right"|246

align="right"|201align="right"|7align="right"|0align="right"|1align="right"|4align="right"|29align="right"|4align="right"|132
Winton

|align="right"|10,613

align="right"|5,696align="right"|175align="right"|140align="right"|701align="right"|8align="right"|3,455align="right"|438align="right"|7,566
style="text-align:center;"|Other
unincorporated areas		style="text-align:center;"|Total
Population		style="text-align:center;"|Whitestyle="text-align:center;"|African
American		style="text-align:center;"| Native
American		style="text-align:center;"| Asianstyle="text-align:center;"| Pacific
Islander		style="text-align:center;"| other
races		style="text-align:center;"| two or
more races		style="text-align:center;"|Hispanic
or Latino
(of any race)
All others not CDPs (combined)

|align="right"|40,403

align="right"|27,020align="right"|1,183align="right"|419align="right"|1,962align="right"|90align="right"|8,269align="right"|1,460align="right"|18,001

=2000=

As of the census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 14, 2011|title=U.S. Census website}} of 2000, there were 210,554 people, 63,815 households, and 49,775 families residing in the county. The population density was {{convert|109|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people}}. There were 68,373 housing units at an average density of {{convert|36|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 56.2% White, 3.8% Black or African American, 1.2% Native American, 6.8% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 26.1% from other races, and 5.7% from two or more races. 45.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 6.6% were of Portuguese and 6.0% German ancestry according to Census 2000. 55.1% spoke English, 35.3% Spanish, 3.2% Hmong, 2.9% Portuguese and 1.0% Punjabi as their first language.

There were 63,815 households, out of which 45.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.0% were non-families. 17.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.25 and the average family size was 3.69.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 34.5% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 99.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.6 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,532, and the median income for a family was $38,009. Males had a median income of $31,721 versus $23,911 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,257. About 16.9% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.4% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.

As of 2008, according to the Lao Family Community, a nonprofit organization, about 8,000 Hmong lived in Merced County.Oppenheim, Jamie. "[http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2010/03/29/1366628/hmong-youth-not-preserving-traditions.html Hmong youth not preserving traditions, professor says] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100608185151/http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2010/03/29/1366628/hmong-youth-not-preserving-traditions.html |date=June 8, 2010 }}." Monday March 29, 2010. Retrieved on September 20, 2010.

Government and policing

= County government=

Merced County is a California Constitution defined general law county and is governed by an elected Board of Supervisors. The Board consists of five members, elected by districts, who serve four-year staggered terms.{{Cite web

| url = http://www.co.merced.ca.us/index.aspx?NID=61

| title = Board of Supervisors

| publisher = Merced County, CA

| access-date = January 5, 2015}}

=Merced County Sheriff's Office =

File:Seal of the Merced County Sheriff's Office.png

The Merced County Sheriff's Office provides court protection, jail administration, and coroner service for the entire county. It provides patrol, detective, and other police services for the unincorporated parts of the county. The main sheriff station and offices are at Merced. There are two sheriff's substations. A Grand Jury report in 2010 stated that the Sheriff processed 12,746 average jail bookings per year with an average daily jail population of 1,123.{{citation|title=Grand Jury report 2010 website}}{{full citation needed|date=May 2025}}

=Municipal police departments=

Municipal police departments in the county are: Merced, population 83,000; Los Banos, population 38,000; Atwater, population 30,000; Livingston, population 13,000; Gustine, population 6,000; Dos Palos, population 5,500.

= State and federal representation =

In the United States House of Representatives, Merced County is in {{Representative|cacd|13|fmt=district}}.{{Cite GovTrack|CA|13|access-date=April 18, 2023}}

In the California State Legislature, Merced County is in {{Representative|caad|27|fmt=adistrict}}, and {{Representative|casd|14|fmt=sdistrict}}.{{Cite web

| url = http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/downloads/meeting_handouts_072011/handouts_20110729_q2_sd_finaldraft_splits.zip

| title = Communities of Interest — County

| publisher = California Citizens Redistricting Commission

| access-date = September 28, 2014

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151023054153/http://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/downloads/meeting_handouts_072011/handouts_20110729_q2_sd_finaldraft_splits.zip

| archive-date = October 23, 2015

| url-status = dead

}}

Politics

= Voter registration statistics =

class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
colspan="3" | Population and registered voters
scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Total population

| colspan="2" | 253,606

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |   Registered votersCalifornia Secretary of State. [http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ror/ror-pages/ror-odd-year-2013/political-sub.pdf February 10, 2013 - Report of Registration] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130727173649/http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ror/ror-pages/ror-odd-year-2013/political-sub.pdf |date=July 27, 2013 }}. Retrieved October 31, 2013.Percentage of registered voters with respect to total population. Percentages of party members with respect to registered voters follow.

| 98,874

| 39.0%

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |     Democratic

| 43,981

| 44.5%

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |     Republican

| 32,767

| 33.1%

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |     Democratic–Republican spread

| +11,214

| +11.4%

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |     Independent

| 3,016

| 3.1%

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |     Green

| 568

| 0.6%

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |     Libertarian

| 483

| 0.5%

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |     Peace and Freedom

| 318

| 0.3%

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |     Americans Elect

| 2

| 0.0%

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |     Other

| 180

| 0.2%

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |     No party preference

| 17,559

| 17.8%

== Cities by population and voter registration ==

class="wikitable collapsible collapsed sortable" style="width: 100%;"
colspan="8" | Cities by population and voter registration
City

! data-sort-type="number" | Population

! data-sort-type="number" | Registered voters

! data-sort-type="number" | Democratic

! data-sort-type="number" | Republican

! data-sort-type="number" | D–R spread

! data-sort-type="number" | Other

! data-sort-type="number" | No party preference

Atwater27,92241.0%39.4%37.4%+2.0%8.2%18.3%
Dos Palos4,94038.0%44.4%35.0%+9.4%9.9%14.9%
Gustine5,48438.3%48.2%30.3%+17.9%7.7%17.0%
Livingston12,89934.6%62.2%15.9%+46.3%4.9%18.9%
Los Banos35,25237.6%50.1%27.6%+22.5%7.8%17.7%
Merced78,11141.0%46.4%30.2%+16.2%8.2%18.3%

= Overview =

Merced County has been somewhat of a bellwether county for presidential elections. Since 1916, it has voted for the winner in each election except in 1956 when it voted for Adlai Stevenson II instead of Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1968 when it voted for Hubert Humphrey instead of Richard Nixon, and 2016 when it voted for Hillary Clinton instead of Donald Trump. In 2024, Donald Trump won the county in a slim victory, continuing the county's bellwether county status.{{Cite web |title=Election Night Reporting |url=https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CA/Merced/122862/web.345435/#/summary |access-date=2024-11-14 |website=results.enr.clarityelections.com |language=en}}

Trump's win in Merced county made it one of ten counties to flip from Biden to Trump, as well as making Merced one of six counties to vote for the Republican presidential candidate for the first time in 20 years since George W. Bush in 2004. Democrat Barack Obama won a majority in the county in both 2008 and 2012. Before that, Republican George W. Bush won a majority in the county in both 2000 and 2004.

{{PresHead|place=Merced County, California|source={{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=March 16, 2018}}|source2=This total comprised 1,571 votes for Progressive Theodore Roosevelt (who was official Republican nominee in California), 441 votes for Socialist Eugene V. Debs and 228 votes for Prohibition Party nominee Eugene W. Chafin.}}

{{PresRow|2024|Republican|43,955|40,190|2,558|California}}

{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|39,397|48,991|2,605|California}}

{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|28,725|37,317|4,747|California}}

{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|27,581|33,005|1,636|California}}

{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|28,704|34,031|1,316|California}}

{{PresRow|2004|Republican|32,773|24,491|696|California}}

{{PresRow|2000|Republican|26,102|22,726|1,590|California}}

{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|20,847|21,786|4,305|California}}

{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|17,981|20,133|11,170|California}}

{{PresRow|1988|Republican|21,717|20,105|592|California}}

{{PresRow|1984|Republican|24,997|17,012|468|California}}

{{PresRow|1980|Republican|18,043|15,886|3,067|California}}

{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|14,842|16,637|729|California}}

{{PresRow|1972|Republican|17,737|13,914|997|California}}

{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|11,595|14,453|2,301|California}}

{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|8,814|19,431|24|California}}

{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|11,990|15,545|111|California}}

{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|11,430|13,366|56|California}}

{{PresRow|1952|Republican|13,512|11,639|219|California}}

{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|7,721|9,959|444|California}}

{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|6,518|9,192|69|California}}

{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|6,101|10,501|182|California}}

{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|3,230|9,208|230|California}}

{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|2,920|7,202|612|California}}

{{PresRow|1928|Republican|4,644|2,970|104|California}}

{{PresRow|1924|Republican|3,573|710|2,466|California}}

{{PresRow|1920|Republican|3,457|1,537|494|California}}

{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|2,132|2,637|467|California}}

{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|10|1,978|2,240|California}}

{{PresRow|1908|Republican|1,107|1,100|276|California}}

{{PresRow|1904|Republican|972|863|146|California}}

{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|811|1,081|58|California}}

{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|653|1,117|32|California}}

{{PresRow|1892|Democratic|782|995|195|California}}

{{PresRow|1888|Democratic|773|972|51|California}}

{{PresRow|1884|Democratic|809|953|17|California}}

{{PresFoot|1880|Democratic|516|736|4|California}}

According to the California Secretary of State, as of October 20, 2008, there were 97,179 registered voters in Merced County.{{citation needed|date=September 2018}} Of those, 44,704 (46.0%) are registered Democratic, 35,955 (37.0%) are registered Republican, 3,090 (3.2%) are registered with other political parties, and 13,430 (13.8%) declined to state a political party. Atwater and the county's unincorporated areas have Republican plurality registration advantages. All of the other cities and towns in the county have Democratic pluralities or majorities in voter registration. Merced County has seen a rightward tilt in recent years, voting "Yes" in the 2021 gubernatorial recall election despite voting for Governor Gavin Newsom by a margin of 4% in 2018. The county then voted for Republican nominee Brian Dahle in 2022 over Newsom, as well as for all Republican nominees for statewide office.

Crime

The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense.

class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
colspan="3" | Population and crime rates
scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Population

| colspan="2" | 253,606

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Violent crimeOffice of the Attorney General, Department of Justice, State of California. [http://stats.doj.ca.gov/cjsc_stats/prof09/00/11.pdf Table 11: Crimes – 2009] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202222315/http://stats.doj.ca.gov/cjsc_stats/prof09/00/11.pdf |date=December 2, 2013 }}. Retrieved November 14, 2013.

| 1,658 || 6.54

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |   Homicide

| 26 || 0.10

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |   Forcible rape

| 78 || 0.31

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |   Robbery

| 276 || 1.09

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |   Aggravated assault

| 1,278 || 5.04

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Property crime

| 4,390 || 17.31

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |   Burglary

| 2,318 || 9.14

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |   Larceny-theftOnly larceny-theft cases involving property over $400 in value are reported as property crimes.

| 5,089 || 20.07

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" |   Motor vehicle theft

| 903 || 3.56

scope="row" style="text-align: left;" | Arson

| 90 || 0.35

= Cities by population and crime rates =

class="wikitable collapsible collapsed sortable" style="width: 100%;"
cn="9" | Cities by population and crime rates
City

! data-sort-type="number" | PopulationUnited States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. [https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2012/crime-in-the-u.s.-2012/tables/8tabledatadecpdf/table-8-state-cuts/table_8_offenses_known_to_law_enforcement_by_california_by_city_2012.xls Crime in the United States, 2012, Table 8 (California)]. Retrieved November 14, 2013.

! data-sort-type="number" | Violent crimes

! data-sort-type="number" | Violent crime rate
per 1,000 persons

! data-sort-type="number" | Property crimes

! data-sort-type="number" | Property crime rate
per 1,000 persons

Atwater28,8911806.231,40048.46
Dos Palos5,0795911.6216231.90
Gustine5,663244.2412021.19
Livingston13,394745.5230622.85
Los Banos36,8971423.851,21032.79
Merced80,97681010.004,11150.77

Economy

According to America's Labor Market Information System 2014 report,{{cite web|url=http://www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/majorer/countymajorer.asp?CountyCode=000047|title=Major Employers in California|website=www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov|access-date=March 16, 2018}} the companies with the largest employment in Merced are, in alphabetical order:

{{div col}}

{{div col end}}

Merced County grows 90% of California's sweet potato crop,[https://www.latimes.com/food/la-fo-marketnews-online-20121102-story.html "Farmers Markets: Stokes Purple is a sweet potato of mystery", Los Angeles Times, 2 November 2012] due in part to the efforts of John Buttencourt Avila, called "the father of the sweet potato industry".

Transportation

=Major highways=

=Public transportation=

=Airports=

Merced Regional Airport, located {{convert|2|mi|km|spell=in}} southwest of downtown Merced, provides passenger air service. General aviation airports in the county include Castle Airport, Gustine Airport, and Los Banos Municipal Airport.

Communities

=Cities=

=[[Census-designated place]]s=

{{div col|colwidth=18em}}

{{div col end}}

=Population ranking=

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Merced County.{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.2010.html|title=US Census Bureau 2010 Census|first=Center for New Media and|last=Promotions|website=www.census.gov|access-date=March 16, 2018}}

† county seat

class="wikitable sortable"
Rank

!City/Town/etc.

!Municipal type

!Population (2010 Census)

!Population (2018 CA Department of Finance)

style="background-color:#FFFACD;"

| 1

|† Merced

| City

| 78,958

| 86,750

style="background-color:#FFFACD;"

| 2

|Los Banos

| City

| 35,972

| 40,986

style="background-color:#FFFACD;"

| 3

|Atwater

| City

| 28,168

| 31,235

style="background-color:#FFFACD;"

| 4

|Livingston

| City

| 13,058

| 14,328

style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 5

|Delhi

| CDP

| 10,755

style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 6

|Winton

| CDP

| 10,613

style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 7

|Franklin-Beachwood

| CDP

| 6,149

style="background-color:#FFFACD;"

| 8

|Gustine

| City

| 5,520

| 5,874

style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 9

|Hilmar-Irwin

| CDP

| 5,197

style="background-color:#FFFACD;"

| 10

|Dos Palos

| City

| 4,950

| 5,679

style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 11

|Planada

| CDP

| 4,584

style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 12

|McSwain

| CDP

| 4,171

style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 13

|Le Grand

| CDP

| 1,659

style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 14

|South Dos Palos

| CDP

| 1,620

style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 15

|Santa Nella

| CDP

| 1,380

style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 16

|Ballico

| CDP

| 406

style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 17

|Cressey

| CDP

| 394

style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 18

|El Nido

| CDP

| 330

style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 19

|Dos Palos Y

| CDP

| 323

style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 20

|Stevinson

| CDP

| 313

style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 21

|Bear Creek

| CDP

| 290

style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 22

|Volta

| CDP

| 246

style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 23

|Snelling

| CDP

| 231

style="background-color:#F0FFF0;"

| 24

|Tuttle

| CDP

| 103

Education

School districts include:{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06047_merced/DC20SD_C06047.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Merced County, CA|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|accessdate=July 24, 2022}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06047_merced/DC20SD_C06047_SD2MS.txt text list]

K-12:

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}

{{div col end}}

Secondary:

Elementary:

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}

{{div col end}}

University of California Merced is in the county.

Places of interest

The former Castle Air Force Base and the United States Penitentiary, Atwater are located in an unincorporated area near Atwater.

See also

{{Portal|California}}

Notes

{{reflist|group=note}}

References

{{reflist|30em}}

Further reading

  • A Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Merced, Stanislaus, Calaveras, Tuolumne and Mariposa, California. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1892.

External links

{{commons category|Merced County, California}}

  • {{Official website}}

{{Geographic Location

| Centre = Merced County, California

| North = Stanislaus County

| Northeast = Tuolumne County

| East = Mariposa County

| Southeast = Madera County

| South = Fresno County

| Southwest = San Benito County

| West = Santa Clara County

| Northwest =

}}

{{Merced County, California}}

{{San Joaquin Valley}}

{{California}}

{{authority control}}

Category:California counties

Category:San Joaquin Valley

Category:1855 establishments in California