Downtown Merced

Merced, CA

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Downtown Merced - Merced, CA Area Guide

A bustling metropolis surrounded by mountainous terrain

Artistic Restaurants Public Transit Urban

Sitting between San Jose and the Sierra National Forest, the city of Merced features a distinct downtown district with local restaurants, markets, and small businesses. In Downtown Merced, residents have access to the Merced Multicultural Arts Center and the Merced County Courthouse Museum. Kids love the Merced’s Applegate Park Zoo, and parents adore the excellent public schools such as Herbert Hoover Middle School.

The Michael O. Sullivan Bike Path sits along the creek and is a major perk for cyclers in the area. Commuters are pleased with the city as well for its convenience highway access and Amtrak station. Though Merced is a bustling metropolis, it has a secluded feel, surrounded by mountainous terrain and dense forests. A few miles outside of Downtown, venture over to the Merced National Wildlife Refuge, featuring 10 acres of wetlands and grasslands, wildlife sightings, and beautiful views.

Rent Trends

As of May 2026, the average apartment rent in Downtown Merced is $668 for a studio, $950 for one bedroom, $1,027 for two bedrooms, and $1,194 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Downtown Merced has increased by 1.7% in the past year.

  • Studio

  • 414 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $668/month

    Average Rent

  • 1 BR

  • 520 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $950/month

    Average Rent

  • 2 BR

  • 709 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $1,027/month

    Average Rent

  • 3 BR

  • 750 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $1,194/month

    Average Rent

Getting Around

Moderately Walkable

Walkability

60 / 100

Some Public Transit

Transit

40 / 100

Exceptionally Drivable

Drivability

90 / 100

Fairly Bikeable

Bikeability

50 / 100

Daily Essentials

Supermarket Within a 10 Minute Walk

Groceries

80 / 100

Good Restaurant Variety Nearby

Restaurants

60 / 100

Good Café Variety Nearby

Cafes

60 / 100

Good Variety of Shops Nearby

Shopping

60 / 100

Local Vibe

Mostly Calm Atmosphere

Vibrancy

20 / 100

Fair Nightlife Variety Nearby

Nightlife

40 / 100

Somewhat Noisy

Quiet Score

80 / 100

Points of Interest

Top Apartments in Downtown Merced

Houses for Rent in Downtown Merced

Property Management Companies

Search Nearby Rentals

Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2026.

Demographic information comes from Neustar and combines detailed address data with U.S. Census and American Community Survey statistics to produce reliable local estimates.