Merced receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Atwater
Merced
Opportunity
41 · Bottom 19%
vs46 · Bottom 29%
Growth
32 · Bottom 20%
vs67 · Top 21%
Climate
75 · Top 28%
vs75 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 7%
vs11 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 21%
vs53 · Bottom 13%
Access
73 · Bottom 15%
vs69 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 28%
vs42 · Bottom 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Atwater | Merced | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,162 | 91,953 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $64,472 | $63,122 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,045 | $27,343 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,898/sq mi | 3,956/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $363,400 | $372,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,279 | $1,393 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.1% | 45.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 8.0% | 7.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.9% | 20.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.0% | 23.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 10 | 331 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 3.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -37.5% | 8.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.8" | 11.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 51 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.2 min | 28.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.0 | 30.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 31 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.43 | 23.48 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 79.6% | 79.6% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Atwater
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, heat wave.
Merced
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, heat wave.
Full profiles: Atwater, CA · Merced, CA · How this is calculated: methodology