Merced vs Turlock
Merced, California versus Turlock, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Merced and Turlock score about the same overall (42 vs 41 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Merced | Turlock |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $59k | $75k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $53k |
| Home Value | $323k | $401k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.70% | 0.74% |
| Income Tax | 13.30% | 13.30% |
| Sales Tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 20.05% | 20.18% |
| Unemployment | 12.6% | 7.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 46°F | 47°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 78°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.8 in | 12.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 275 days | 261 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 55°F |
| Comfortable Days | 58 days | 71 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 59.0 | 47.4 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 63.4 | 62.9 |
| Violent Crime | 2036/100k | 1351/100k |
| Property Crime | 2777/100k | 2881/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 87,686 | 72,504 |
| Median Age | 29.9 | 34.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.70 | 0.60 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 0.92 |
| Political Leaning | D+11 | Even |
| White (%) | 23.1% | 41.9% |
| Black (%) | 4.1% | 2.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 59.1% | 44.4% |
| Asian (%) | 10.0% | 6.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.7% | 5.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 27 min | 26 min |
| Walkability | 15.1/20 | 14.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 80 mi | 60 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.8% | 89.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 16.65 | 25.10 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Merced or Turlock more affordable?
- Turlock has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Merced's $53k and Turlock's $53k. Median rent is $1k in Merced versus $1k in Turlock.
- Is Merced or Turlock safer?
- Turlock has the lower violent crime rate. Merced reports 2036/100k and Turlock reports 1351/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Merced or Turlock?
- The median home value is $323k in Merced and $401k in Turlock, so homes are more affordable in Merced.