Merced receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Chico
Merced
Opportunity
31 · Bottom 8%
vs38 · Bottom 16%
Growth
44 · Bottom 39%
vs55 · Top 41%
Climate
72 · Top 31%
vs72 · Top 30%
Physical resilience
22 · Bottom 11%
vs11 · Bottom 4%
Housing affordability
54 · Bottom 3%
vs57 · Bottom 4%
Access
62 · Bottom 24%
vs70 · Bottom 38%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 28%
vs46 · Bottom 43%
Measured values
| Metric | Chico | Merced | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 207,929 | 290,201 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,928 | $65,510 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,305 | $28,030 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 127/sq mi | 150/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $424,700 | $391,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,414 | $1,343 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.3% | 54.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% | 9.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.2% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.9% | 15.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.2% | 19.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 860 | 537 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.1 | 1.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -4.7% | -7.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 40°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 25.7" | 10.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 67 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.8 min | 31.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.2 | 31.8 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Chico
Elevated or high exposure: drought, wildfire, earthquake.
Merced
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, heat wave.
Full profiles: Chico, CA Metro Area · Merced, CA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology