Real Estate Investing in Merced County, California

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

17 ZIP codes • Population: 282,491

Should you buy in Merced County, CA? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (46/100)

Proceed carefully. Weak appreciation or affordability makes this a harder case for most buyers.

πŸ“ˆ For Investors
MIXED
2.8 / 5 (45/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
1 flag
  • Tenant-protective state: Landlord rating 1.0/5 β€” slower evictions, more regulations.

What’s happening in Merced County, CA?

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2.8/ 5

Investability

County-wide average

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

2.9% 5yr CAGR

1.0/ 5

Landlord Climate

Regulatory friendliness

Avg Investability β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…
Avg Home Value $437,609
Avg Monthly Rent $1,500
ZIP Codes 17

Investing in Merced County Real Estate

Across Merced County's 17 ZIPs, the picture is tepid β€” soft rents, slow appreciation, and demographic headwinds that don't obviously reverse in the medium term.

Investors considering Merced, California should understand what the β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜†β˜† rating represents β€” a region with material challenges, not a temporary rough patch.

The 0% renter share in Merced masks uneven tenant quality across ZIPs, and $N/AK median income leaves little cushion against economic shocks.

A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in Merced County, CA. Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Avg Home Value
$437,609
Avg Monthly Rent
$1,500
1% Rule
βœ— Below
Landlord Friendly (CA)
β˜…β˜†β˜†β˜†β˜†

πŸ“‰ Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Merced, CA metro

0/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
46%
Days Pending
0/2
0 days

View all metro crash risk rankings β†’

πŸŽ“ Colleges & Universities in Merced County

4 Colleges 21,535 Students 4,493 Off-Campus Renters
B+
University of California-Merced
4-Year Public Β· 9,147 students
πŸ“ ~777 students rent off-campus
C+
Sierra College of Beauty
Vocational For-Profit Β· 245 students
C
Merced College
2-Year Public Β· 11,835 students
πŸ“ ~3,716 students rent off-campus
C
Milan Institute-Merced
Vocational For-Profit Β· 308 students

Investor Insight: With 4,493 students living off-campus, Merced County has substantial rental demand from the college population β€” typically stable, lease-renewing tenants.

Cities in Merced County

ZIP Codes in Merced County, CA

93635 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Los Banos
Population 49,232
Avg Home $463,766
Avg Rent $2,362/mo
95301 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Atwater
Population 42,374
Avg Home $424,764
Avg Rent $1,615/mo
95340 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Merced
Population 38,045
Avg Home $406,091
Avg Rent $1,795/mo
95348 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Merced
Population 36,663
Avg Home $416,649
Avg Rent $2,115/mo
95341 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Merced
Population 34,956
Avg Home $364,341
Avg Rent $2,062/mo
95334 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Livingston
Population 17,198
Avg Home $427,218
Avg Rent $1,449/mo
95315 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Delhi
Population 13,006
Avg Home $418,406
Avg Rent $1,287/mo
95388 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Winton
Population 13,005
Avg Home $366,429
Avg Rent $1,224/mo
93620 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Dos Palos
Population 10,173
Avg Home $367,181
Avg Rent $1,224/mo
95322 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Gustine
Population 9,013
Avg Home $424,312
Avg Rent $1,305/mo
95324 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Hilmar
Population 7,862
Avg Home $490,438
Avg Rent $1,629/mo
95365 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Planada
Population 4,009
Avg Home $296,019
Avg Rent $1,224/mo
95333 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Le Grand
Population 3,203
Avg Home $354,787
Avg Rent $1,224/mo
95374 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Stevinson
Population 1,652
Avg Home $659,000
Avg Rent $1,224/mo
95303 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Ballico
Population 876
Avg Home $796,582
Avg Rent $1,224/mo
95369 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Merced
Population 802
Avg Home $482,290
Avg Rent $1,224/mo
93665 β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜… β˜…
Firebaugh
Population 422
Avg Home $281,087
Avg Rent $1,305/mo

Screen every market in Merced County

Filter this county’s ZIPs by cap rate, vacancy, appreciation and 30+ more criteria, and export your shortlist to CSV — with the Investor plan ($19/mo). Add weekly alerts when these markets move with Investor Pro+.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Merced County

Are there empty rentals in, CA?

Expect elevated vacancy in, CA. Rents at $1,500/mo are absorbed by the tenant base without meaningful lag.

Is, CA good for landlords?

The landlord environment in, CA is tenant-protective. Statewide rules shape most day-to-day operations for rental owners.

How do home values compare in, CA?

, CA home values average about $438K. That price point suits investors targeting rentals with $1,500/mo in monthly income.

Are rents high in, CA?

The typical rental in, CA commands about $1,500/mo monthly. That rent profile steady cash flow against the $438K purchase basis.

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