Residential comparison · 13 facts
Indio, CA vs Merced, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Indio needs about $82,500 in Merced to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Merced, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $87,500 in Indio.
A few differences
- Indio is higher on median household income ($77,167 vs $63,122).
- Merced is lower on cost of living index (107 vs 113).
- Merced is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,315/mo vs $1,448/mo).
Indio vs Merced · facet by facet
| Facet | Indio, CA | Merced, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $458,400 | $372,600 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,448/mo | $1,315/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Cost of living index | 113 | 107 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $77,167 | $63,122 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Crime index | 52/100 | 52/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 260 days | 260 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Indio, CA · Merced, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Indio cheaper than Merced?
- Merced has the lower day-to-day cost index (107 vs 113 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Merced equals $85,000 in Indio?
- A household earning $85,000 in Indio needs about $82,500 in Merced to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Merced lifestyle costs about $87,500 in Indio.