Last updated on June 16, 2026

Average rent in
Merced, CA

Key takeaways for renters

  • The bottom line

    Merced, CA rent slipped 2.3% year over year, with a current median of $1,798/month. Renters today are paying $116 less per month on average than last year, while month-to-month rent is essentially flat.

  • Merced, CA sits 7.8% more affordable than the $1,950/month national median, with 160 total rentals offering a modest inventory for renters.

  • Price ranges

    Studios in Merced, CA run around $1,000/month, 1-bedrooms around $1,077/month, and 2-bedrooms around $1,430/month, with 3-bedrooms at $2,000/month and 4+ bedrooms at $2,300/month. This range reflects the variation by bedroom count across the city.

Median rent

Median rent in Merced

$1,797/mo

decreased by2%

vs previous year

The average rent in Merced is $1,797 per month as of June 2026. This is 8% below the national average rent, or $152 less per month.

$1.44

average price per square foot

Total rentals

Available rentals in Merced

160

for rent on Zumper.com as of June 2026

Rent price distribution

Share of Merced rentals at each price point

50%38%25%13%0%
$0 - $750
$751 - $1,500
$1,501 - $2,250
$2,251 - $3,000
$3,001+

Rent trends in Merced, CA

Average rent prices in Merced have remained the same over the last month and have decreased by 2% since last year.

Rent trends

Rent prices on this page are calculated on a rolling 30-day basis and updated daily.

Compare rent prices in Merced, CA

Rent prices in Merced vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in Merced is $1,300, whereas a house costs $2,125. 1-bedroom apartments in Merced run $1,162 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $1,395.

Listings

Studio

$1,000

5%

2%

1 bedroom

$1,077

No Change

9%

2 bedroom

$1,430

1%

3%

3 bedroom

$2,000

No Change

3%

4 bedroom

$2,300

3%

6%

Studio

Average rent

$1,000

Last 30 days

5%

Last year

2%

1 bedroom

Average rent

$1,077

Last 30 days

No Change

Last year

9%

2 bedroom

Average rent

$1,430

Last 30 days

1%

Last year

3%

3 bedroom

Average rent

$2,000

Last 30 days

No Change

Last year

3%

4 bedroom

Average rent

$2,300

Last 30 days

3%

Last year

6%

The table above reflects average rent prices in Merced, CA, broken down by the number of bedrooms, neighborhoods, and property types. The availability of data for each category is dependent on market inventory and will adjust depending on your selected filters.

How does rent in Merced, CA compare to other cities?

Compare median rent prices in Merced and Atwater by all bedroom counts and property types.

Merced

Median rent price$1,797
decreased by8%

lower than the national median

Median rent price$1,320
decreased by32%

lower than the national median

Takeaway

The median rent for all rentals in Merced, CA is 36% higher than the median rent in Atwater, CA.

Discover rentals in Merced, CA

313 Sullivan Dr - Photo 1 of 1

5d+ ago

House for rent in Merced

House for rent

Available Jun 15

95340 Merced Mall - Photo 1 of 1

2d ago

House for rent in Merced

For UC students. 5 min UC Merced.

95340 Merced Mall, Merced, CA 95340

4 beds

3 baths

$750

House for rent

Available Jul 1

3372 San Mateo Ct - Photo 1 of 1

4d ago

Apartment for rent in Merced

2 beds

2 baths

$1,195

$1,050

Price drop

Apartment for rent

Available Apr 24

Osito Apartments - Photo 1 of 1

3d ago

8.4

Very good

Osito Apartments

2560 Midge Ave, Merced, CA 95340

1–2 beds

1 bath

$1,075–$1,150

Apartment for rent

Stay up to date with rental market insights

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Frequently asked questions for Merced, CA

Quick answers to common questions about the Merced rental market.

How much is rent in Merced?

The average rent in Merced is $1,797 per month as of June 13, 2026.

Is rent up or down in Merced?

Average rent prices in Merced have remained the same over the last month and have decreased by 2% since last year.

How does Merced rent compare to the national average?

Rent in Merced is 8% below the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $152 less per month.

What salary do I need to afford rent in Merced?

To comfortably afford rent in Merced, you'd need to earn approximately $72,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.

When is the best time of year to rent in Merced?

One-bedroom apartments in Merced averaged around $1,200 per month in 2025, while two-bedroom units averaged around $1,500 monthly. Both bedroom types showed increases from the previous year, with one-bedrooms up 2.6% and two-bedrooms rising 1.9%.

Methodology

Rent prices are based on Zumper's rental listings from the past 30 days. Median rent is calculated across all available listings and property types on the platform. If you filter the page by bedroom count or property type, the pricing throughout the page will update automatically to reflect that segment of the rental market.

Household and population data come from the U.S. Census Bureau. Cost-of-living data is sourced from the Council for Community and Economic Research's Cost of Living Index (COLI).

Apartments for rent in Atwater