Metro area profile · California
Merced, CA metro area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Merced metro area, each scored against other metro areas.
- Population, 2025
- 297,260
- +5.1% since 2020
- Households
- 86,055
- Median household income
- $65,510
- +22.1% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $391,800
- Jobs located here
- 77,775
- Highest market score
- 87
- Collision repair and body shops, #1 of 381 scored metro areas
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Merced metro area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Merced metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 297,260 people live in the Merced metro area, in 86,055 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of the Merced metro area grew 5.1%, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in the Merced metro area is $65,510 a year, 19% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 22.1% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in the Merced metro area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 116, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on clothing, shoes and related services (80).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Merced metro area are for collision repair and body shops (87), spas and skin care studios (83) and veterinarians (83). The Merced metro area ranks #1 of 381 scored metro areas for collision repair and body shops.
The Merced metro area is made up of one county, Merced County. For its number of households, the Merced metro area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for gas stations (46% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for spas and skin care studios (63% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Merced metro area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Merced metro area with other metro areas for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among metro areas | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collision repair and body shops | 87 | #1 of 381 | 21 | 2.4 | $4.5M | 148 | 13 |
| Spas and skin care | 83 | #2 of 387 | 37 | 4.3 | $2.1M | 242 | 4 |
| Veterinarians | 83 | #12 of 384 | 19 | 2.2 | $3.9M | 145 | 13 |
| Pet businesses | 82 | #10 of 387 | 68 | 7.9 | $1.1M | 125 | 23 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 81 | #3 of 387 | 261 | 30.3 | $301K | 142 | 32 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 81 | #8 of 387 | 98 | 11.4 | $796K | 120 | 20 |
| Hair salons | 80 | #6 of 387 | 142 | 16.5 | $553K | 129 | 14 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 80 | #9 of 386 | 24 | 2.8 | $3.1M | 123 | 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 80 | #9 of 290 | 5 | 0.6 | $19.1M | 139 | 5 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 79 | #9 of 387 | 158 | 18.4 | Index only | 166 | 47 |
| Real estate | 79 | #11 of 387 | 210 | 24.4 | Index only | 157 | 96 |
| Chiropractors | 78 | #12 of 386 | 24 | 2.8 | $4.2M | 176 | 14 |
| Auto repair shops | 78 | #20 of 387 | 180 | 20.9 | $531K | 119 | 77 |
| Insurance agencies | 78 | #45 of 387 | 87 | 10.1 | $2M | 160 | 57 |
| Physical therapy | 77 | #18 of 386 | 26 | 3.0 | $3.9M | 162 | 21 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 76 | #16 of 387 | 36 | 4.2 | $2.2M | 107 | 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | 75 | #18 of 381 | 12 | 1.4 | $18.4M | 217 | 9 |
| Auto repair and car care | 75 | #26 of 387 | 282 | 32.8 | $339K | 126 | 127 |
| House cleaning | 74 | #35 of 375 | 8 | 0.9 | $12.9M | 201 | 29 |
| Home repair trades | 73 | #22 of 387 | 62 | 7.2 | $3.6M | 146 | 107 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 73 | #37 of 387 | 383 | 44.5 | $264K | 173 | 264 |
| Gyms | 72 | #32 of 387 | 59 | 6.9 | $1.3M | 102 | 17 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 72 | #33 of 386 | 22 | 2.6 | $4.6M | 147 | 12 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 71 | #51 of 387 | 108 | 12.6 | $1.3M | 148 | 40 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 70 | #34 of 373 | 26 | 3.0 | Index only | 141 | 9 |
| Car washes and detailing | 70 | #46 of 387 | 25 | 2.9 | $3.8M | 152 | 18 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 70 | #59 of 387 | 77 | 8.9 | $1.8M | 144 | 35 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 70 | #59 of 387 | 51 | 5.9 | $2M | 120 | 89 |
| Electricians | 68 | #56 of 383 | 16 | 1.9 | $13.8M | 115 | 35 |
| Child care and preschools | 68 | #66 of 387 | 50 | 5.8 | $962K | 96 | 40 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 68 | #73 of 387 | 729 | 84.7 | $418K | 113 | 335 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 68 | #86 of 385 | 30 | 3.5 | $3.4M | 117 | 46 |
| Nail salons | 67 | #58 of 387 | 33 | 3.8 | $2.4M | 142 | 12 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 67 | #60 of 387 | 34 | 4.0 | $6.5M | 136 | 63 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 66 | #75 of 387 | 406 | 47.2 | $750K | 113 | 117 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 66 | #79 of 387 | 36 | 4.2 | $2.8M | 158 | 127 |
| Funeral homes | 64 | #102 of 377 | 14 | 1.6 | $832K | 123 | 8 |
| Property management | 63 | #78 of 374 | 24 | 2.8 | Index only | 107 | 35 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 54 | #162 of 387 | 65 | 7.6 | $4.7M | 113 | 53 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 54 | #163 of 387 | 74 | 8.6 | $4.1M | 111 | 47 |
| Pet stores | 52 | #174 of 382 | 18 | 2.1 | $4.2M | 92 | 7 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 51 | #182 of 387 | 93 | 10.8 | $1.1M | 111 | 82 |
| Pizza | 50 | #194 of 387 | 64 | 7.4 | $4.8M | 94 | 169 |
| Gas stations | 50 | #202 of 387 | 137 | 15.9 | $1.8M | 76 | 73 |
| Barbershops | 48 | #211 of 387 | 46 | 5.3 | $1.7M | 91 | Under 3 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 47 | #220 of 387 | 120 | 13.9 | $2.5M | 83 | 169 |
| Tire shops | 45 | #236 of 386 | 45 | 5.2 | $2.1M | 85 | 24 |
| Convenience stores | 39 | #268 of 387 | 91 | 10.6 | $5.4M | 68 | 18 |
| Pest control | 37 | #261 of 345 | 13 | 1.5 | $7.9M | 77 | 14 |
| Laundromats | 31 | #300 of 364 | 14 | 1.6 | $10.1M | 80 | Under 3 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 25 | #346 of 387 | 230 | 26.7 | $2.1M | 63 | 74 |
| Grocery stores | 21 | #363 of 387 | 80 | 9.3 | $6.1M | 66 | 56 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 0.3 | $26M | 640 | 17 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.2 | $70.4M | Too few | 5 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.2 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.2 | $50.6M | Too few | 8 |
Household spending in the Merced metro area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $95.5M | $1,110 | 116 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $247.5M | $2,876 | 111 |
| Food away from home | $304.4M | $3,537 | 87 |
| Groceries | $489.2M | $5,684 | 90 |
| Personal care products and services | $78.6M | $913 | 91 |
| Child care and other personal services | $48.1M | $559 | 96 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $78M | $906 | 92 |
| Medical and dental services | $101.2M | $1,176 | 91 |
| Pets | $74.9M | $870 | 96 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $140.7M | $1,635 | 80 |
| Vehicle insurance | $175.2M | $2,036 | 104 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $220.4M | $2,562 | 85 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $102.9M | $1,195 | 85 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $1.4B | $16,589 | 100 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Merced metro area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 297,260+5.1% since 2020
- Households
- 86,055
- Median age
- 32.1
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 54%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.1
- Land area
- 1,938 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 150
- Median household income
- $65,510+22.1% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $87,781
- Median home value
- $391,800
- Jobs located here
- 77,775
- Daytime population
- 255,124Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Merced metro area?
These figures cover the whole metro area. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Merced metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Merced metro area 1
- Merced County, CA290,201 people
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- Stockton-Lodi, CA metro area797,334 people
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- Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA metro area485,040 people
Questions
How fast is the Merced, CA metro area growing?
Population estimates put the Merced metro area at 297,260 people in 2025, up 5.1% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 86,055 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 22.1%, before inflation.
How much do households in the Merced, CA metro area spend?
Households in the Merced metro area spend about $1.4B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $489.2M on groceries and $304.4M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Merced metro area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 116, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on clothing, shoes and related services (80).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Merced, CA metro area?
Of the business types scored in the Merced metro area, collision repair and body shops (87), spas and skin care studios (83) and veterinarians (83) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For collision repair and body shops, that ranks #1 of 381 scored metro areas.
How does the Merced, CA metro area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Merced metro area is $65,510, 19% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 5.1% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $391,800, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for gas stations (46% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for spas and skin care studios (63% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 52 of the 56 business types have a score in the Merced metro area, each ranked against other metro areas.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Merced metro area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Merced metro area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Merced metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.