Merced ranked among top fastest-growing California cities. See the data behind the growth
.JPG "A view of the Merced Theatre in downtown Merced, Calif.")
More and more, signs indicate that Merced’s place on the California map is growing.
Among California cities with populations over 30,000, Merced ranked second among the 10 fastest growing cities, according to a May 7 state Department of Finance news release. The 2,710 new residents calling Merced home represented a 3.1% increase to 90,971 people from Jan. 1, 2020 to 2021.
The City of Merced was second only to Banning in Riverside County, which expanded by 3.8%. Neighboring Los Banos also made the list as number eight with a 2.4% increase.
Merced’s growth also placed it as number eight on the list of cities under 300,000 residents with the highest numeric population change.
Overall, Merced County-wide residents are now estimated to count 284,836 — a .5% increase, according to the release.
Statewide, only 171 cities saw the number of residents increase. Population tallies declined in 305 cities, while six experienced no change.
California as a whole shrank by about half a percent, or just over 182,000 people to 39,466,855, according to the release.
California residents appear to be flocking to inland counties in the Sacramento and Central valleys, while coastal and northern counties declined in population. Many of the state’s large urban centers accounted for the loss:
- Los Angeles: A loss of 1.3%, or nearly 52,000 residents to 3,923,341.
- San Diego: A loss of 0.7% or more than 10,400 residents to 1,411,034.
- San Jose: A loss of 1.1%, or almost 11,700 residents to 1,029,782.
- San Francisco: A loss of 1.7%, or almost 14,800 residents to 875,010.
The release is consistent with numbers released by the state Department of Finance in December, which showed that Merced ranked fifth out of the state’s 58 counties for the highest percent increase in population between July 2019-20.
Experts have pinned the state’s population decline on fewer births, more deaths due to an aging population and the COVID-19 pandemic, lower international migration and higher migration out of California.
COVID-19-related deaths accounted for an estimated population loss of 51,000 in 2020, according to the release. That’s 19% above the average death rate over the last three years. Abnormally high death rates were reported in 51 of the state’s 58 counties, the release said.
International migration to California was negative in 2020 as well, in part due to the suspension of visas issuance in March through December. Roughly 53,000 fewer international students were in California on account of the pandemic.
These pandemic-related causes for population decline are anticipated to be temporary. Positive growth is expected for calendar year 2021 population estimates set to be released in May 2022, the release said.
The pandemic’s impacts were also felt in cities with major universities, like those hosting members of the mammoth University of California system.
Several cities hosting UC schools witnessed population loss. A majority of college dorm residents returned to their city, state or country of origin because of the pandemic, the release said.
Santa Cruz, home to UC Santa Cruz, declined in population by a notable 13%. Berkeley fell by 4.6%, Irvine by 2.3%, Riverside by 1.4%, Los Angeles by 1.3%, San Diego by .7% and Santa Barbara by .2%.
Merced’s significant growth represented an exception to this pattern. At UC Merced, an estimated 26% of students already hail from the Valley, representing the highest percentage of any region.
Local officials have cited UC Merced’s expansion as another feature attracting more residents to the region. That, coupled with newfound investment in downtown projects, new breaths of life with projects at the former Castle Air Force Base and a more affordable way of life are making Merced an increasingly appealing place to call home, officials say.
The demand for housing and climbing prices for homes have played a significant role in the exodus out of California, especially among coastal counties where housing prices have continued to soar, experts say.
Counties residents are fleeing, like Los Angeles, have higher costs of living. The median price of a single-family home there is estimated at $650,000, while home value in the City of Merced is roughly $285,365, according to Zillow.
This story was originally published May 7, 2021 at 4:15 PM.
