Residential comparison · 13 facts
Merced, CA vs Mission Viejo, 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 Merced needs about $104,500 in Mission Viejo to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Mission Viejo, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $65,500 in Merced.
A few differences
- Mission Viejo is higher on median household income ($136,123 vs $63,122).
- Merced is lower on cost of living index (107 vs 164).
- Merced is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,315/mo vs $2,844/mo).
Merced vs Mission Viejo · facet by facet
| Facet | Merced, CA | Mission Viejo, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $372,600 | $1,009,600 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,315/mo | $2,844/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 | 107 | 164 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $63,122 | $136,123 |
| 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: Merced, CA · Mission Viejo, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Merced cheaper than Mission Viejo?
- Merced has the lower day-to-day cost index (107 vs 164 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Mission Viejo equals $85,000 in Merced?
- A household earning $85,000 in Merced needs about $104,500 in Mission Viejo to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Mission Viejo lifestyle costs about $65,500 in Merced.